# goof

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡuːf/ · frequency rank #29,294

## Definitions
1. A mistake or error.
2. A mistake or error.
3. A foolish and/or silly person; a goofball.
4. A rapist.

## Etymology
Perhaps from dialectal English goff (“foolish clown”), from earlier goffe, in which case further etymology is uncertain.
Perhaps from Middle English goffen (“to speak in a frivolous manner”), possibly from Old English gaf, ġegaf (“base; wanton; lewd”, adjective), ġegaf (“buffoonery; scurrility”, noun), gaffetung, golfettung (“buffoonery; mockery”). Compare English dialectal gauffin (“lightheaded; foolish; giddy”), Scots gaff, gawf (“to talk loudly; babble”), Scots gaffaw (“a loud laugh”).
Alternatively, perhaps from Middle French goffe (“awkward; stupid”). Compare also Spanish gofo, Italian goffo.

## Easily confused with
- **got** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-got)
- **GOP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gop)
- **Guo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-guo)
- **gow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gow)
- **gro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gro)
- **gor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gor)
- **GPO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gpo)
- **grow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-grow)
- **gulf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gulf)
- **gosh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gosh)
- **gore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gore)
- **gown** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gown)
- **goth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-goth)
- **goon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-goon)
- **GOTO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-goto)
- **gout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gout)
- **gory** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gory)
- **goss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-goss)
- **gove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-gove)
- **Graf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goof-vs-graf)

## Common misspellings (5)
`ggoof`, `gof`, `gofo`, `gooff`, `ogof`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/goof