any of several tropical marine birds of the genus Sula: family Sulidae, order Pelecaniformes (pelicans, cormorants, etc). They have a straight stout bill and the plumage is white with darker markings
Compare gannet
Word origin
C17: from Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus stammering
booby in American English
(ˈbubi)
nounWord forms: pluralˈboobies
1.
a stupid or foolish person; nitwit
2.
any of a genus (Sula, family Sulidae) of pelecaniform birds that dive and feed on fish of warm seas
Word origin
prob. < Sp bobo, stupid < L balbus, stammering < IE echoic base *bal-bal-
Examples of 'booby' in a sentence
booby
They were expected to check the archaeological site for mines and booby traps before opening it to experts to inspect the damage.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This time it was definitely a booby trap.
Aidan Hartley THE ZANZIBAR CHEST: A Memoir of Love and War (2003)
The documents also contained warnings about booby trap devices.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They checked the gas canisters for booby traps but found none.
The Sun (2009)
Ten or fifteen years of expertise gone in a second to a booby trap.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Then rig up booby traps in case anybody else tries to get in.
The Sun (2012)
Their progress through the hotel was slowed by explosives that had been left behind as booby traps by the attackers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The attacking force is advancing with caution because of the danger of booby traps and the risk of civilian casualties.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
More important, how to detect the presence of a lethal booby trap.
Geraghty, Tony The Bullet Catchers (1989)
Many had been booby trapped.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He had been accused of rigging up a booby trap to set the house on fire as she slept to collect 190,000 insurance.
The Sun (2009)
We'd made big booby traps on the stairs, big holes hidden in the steps.
Alexander Masters STUART: A Life Backwards (2005)
Synonyms of 'booby'
fool, jerk, idiot, berk
More Synonyms of booby
(noun)
Definition
an ignorant or foolish person
Her husband is a booby.
Synonyms
fool
She'd been a fool to accept the offer.
jerk (slang, mainly US, Canadian)
He'd tricked her into walking into the garbage, to make her look like a total jerk!
idiot
I knew I'd been an idiot to stay there.
berk (British, slang)
prick (taboo, slang)
wally (slang)
prat (slang)
plonker (slang)
goof (informal)
twit (informal, mainly British)
a pompous twit who loved the sound of his own voice