Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “booby” come from?

Booby comes from English brother, which derives from Old English brōþor, from Proto-Germanic brōþēr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₂tēr meaning "brother."

booby (English): A stupid person; Any of various large tropical...

Definitions

  1. A stupid person; Any of various large tropical...

Ancestry of “booby”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbubbyA woman's breast; bub; bubba; Alternative...
2EnglishbrotherSon of the same parents as another person; A male...
3Middle EnglishbrotherA :brother or brother-in-law; a male sibling; A ...
4Old Englishbrōþorbrother
5Proto-West Germanicbrōþerbrother
6Proto-Germanicbrōþērbrother
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₂tērbrother

Words derived from “booby”

  • boob
  • boobless
  • boobage
  • boobyism
  • boobyish
  • boobish
  • booblessness
  • booby trap
  • boobishly
  • big-boob
  • boobular
  • boobfeeder
  • underboob
  • manboob
  • boobfest
  • outboob
  • sideboob
  • megaboob
  • booblike
  • Boobgate
  • boobfeed
  • ブービートラップ
  • boobytrap
  • boppa
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₂tēr →