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gooney bird

or goon·y bird

[ goo-nee burd ]

noun

  1. any of several albatrosses, especially the black-footed albatross and the Laysan albatross, occurring on islands in the Pacific Ocean, often near naval bases.
  2. Slang. a foolish or awkward person or thing; goon.


gooney bird

/ ˈɡuːnɪ /

noun

  1. an informal name for the albatross, esp the black-footed albatross ( Diomedea nigripes )
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Word History and Origins

Origin of gooney bird1

First recorded in 1940–45; goon
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Word History and Origins

Origin of gooney bird1

C19 gony (originally sailors' slang), probably from dialect gooney fool, of obscure origin; compare goon

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