Etymology From goof (“foolish and/or silly person”, noun) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense form ‘having the quality of’; and forming informal nouns denoting associated persons or things).
1
Canada, US, Informal Quirky or silly, often in a humorous manner; daft.
He was lying back in an arm-chair with his mouth open and a sort of goofy expression in his eyes, while a grey-bearded cove in the middle distance watched him with so much dislike that I concluded that Bingo had pinched his favourite seat.1923 May 17, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “Bingo and the Little Woman”, in The Inimitable Jeeves, Harmondsworth, Middlesex [London]: Penguin Books, published 1979, →ISBN, page 203:
You've got a goofy but an inspired face. Understanding just washes over it.1938, Elizabeth Bowen, chapter VIII, in The Death of the Heart, London: Victor Gollancz, →OCLC, part I (The World), page 139:
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Glorious attacking and goofy defending: here was a match that encapsulated the madcap appeal of this season's Premier League.2012 December 29, Paul Doyle, “Arsenal’s Theo Walcott hits hat-trick in thrilling victory over Newcastle”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 04 Dec 2025:
Etymology From goof (“foolish and/or silly person”, noun) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense form ‘having the quality of’; and forming informal nouns denoting associated persons or things).
It was eleven when we reached the mines, on our last drop of gas. High altitude. […] "Now, don't be one of those goofies who think they must be sick, just because they are a few feet up in the air."1943, Constance Jordan Henley, “People Who Face Forward”, in Grandmother Drives South, New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons, →OCLC, page 164:
Why didn't you tell me, you goofies?1949, Joseph R. Ellis, Call me Dearie: A Comedy in Three Acts, Boston, Mass.: The Christopher Publishing House, →OCLC, Act III, page 128:
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She showed other kids you could have fun by being a goofy who liked sports.1994, Carolyn Thompson, “Biographies [THOMPSON, DAWN MARIE]”, in Cynthia A. Stevens, editor, The Space Between, Owings Mill, Md.: Jeffrey Franz [for the National Library of Poetry], →ISBN, page 815, column 3:
You two goofies shut up, would cha?2010, Brock Clarke, “Brookside Cemetery”, in Exley, Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, →ISBN, part 6, page 289:
2
Canada, US, Historical, Informal A button (“clothing fastener”) in the shape of a person, object, etc., often collected as a hobby.
No. 2 is a present-day Umbrella, of Modern Plastic. Like most "Goofies," it is found in many colors and color combinations.1944 May, Dorothy Foster Brown, “Buttons: Umbrellas and Sunshades”, in Pearl Ann Reeder, editor, Hobbies: The Magazine for Collectors, Chicago, Ill.: O. C. Lightner, →OCLC, page 30, column 2:
Goofies are novelty buttons. They represent in miniature a person, animal, bird, flower or any object or living thing you can think of. A goofy must show something that you can easily recognize at sight – a horse's head, a hammer, a daisy, a goldfish, etc. […] Goofy collectors also trade with each other for buttons needed to complete a set, in much the same way as stamp collectors trade for particular stamps.1947 February 24, “Hobbies: Goofies”, in Junior Scholastic: Your World-view Magazine for School and Home, volume 20, number 4, Dayton, Oh.: Scholastic Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 11, column 1:
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When plastic buttons are molded in the shape of realistic items, such as shoes or French poodles[…], they're known as realistics, moderns, or goofies.1991, Marilyn V. Green, “Button History”, in The Button Lover’s Book (Creative Machine Arts Series), Radnor, Pa.: Chilton Book Company, →ISBN, page 24, column 2:
goofy
adv
Etymology From Goofy, the name of a Walt Disney cartoon character in the form of an anthropomorphic dog, from goofy (adjective): see etymology 1. Etymology 2, adjective sense 1 (“having crooked, especially protruding, front teeth”) refers the character’s buckteeth, while etymology 2, adjective sense 2 (“riding with one’s right foot forward”) and the corresponding adverb and noun senses refer to the character being depicted surfing in that manner in the cartoon Hawaiian Holiday (1937).
[page 152] Like skateboarders and surfers, riders stand on the board with both feet perpendicular to the board or at an angle across it. […] Riding with the left foot forward is the more common way; the right foot forward stance is called riding goofy. […] [page 155] Before you begin to snowboard, you need to determine whether you ride regular or goofy.1997, Claire Walter, “Ridin’ High”, in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Skiing (Complete Idiot’s Guides), New York, N.Y.: Alpha Books, →ISBN, part 4 (The Fun Really Starts), pages 152 and 155:
goofy
adj
Etymology From Goofy, the name of a Walt Disney cartoon character in the form of an anthropomorphic dog, from goofy (adjective): see etymology 1. Etymology 2, adjective sense 1 (“having crooked, especially protruding, front teeth”) refers the character’s buckteeth, while etymology 2, adjective sense 2 (“riding with one’s right foot forward”) and the corresponding adverb and noun senses refer to the character being depicted surfing in that manner in the cartoon Hawaiian Holiday (1937).
1
Canada, US, Informal Of a person: having crooked, especially protruding, front teeth; buck-toothed.
[P]ut a skateboard, minus its trucks and wheels, on a carpet and then step back and jump on the board. If you left foot lands at the front, you'll be more comfortable riding regular. But if your right foot lands at the front, goofy is the way to go!2003, Keltie Thomas, “Zoom in on the Mechanics: All about Balance”, in Blades, Boards & Scooters (Popular Mechanics for Kids), Toronto, Ont.: Maple Tree Press, →ISBN, page 38, column 2:
Etymology From Goofy, the name of a Walt Disney cartoon character in the form of an anthropomorphic dog, from goofy (adjective): see etymology 1. Etymology 2, adjective sense 1 (“having crooked, especially protruding, front teeth”) refers the character’s buckteeth, while etymology 2, adjective sense 2 (“riding with one’s right foot forward”) and the corresponding adverb and noun senses refer to the character being depicted surfing in that manner in the cartoon Hawaiian Holiday (1937).
The binding still fits the swivel kit, which is ideal for a rental program where the bindings have to be switched in a jiffy to accommodate goofies and regulars.1993, “[Product Sampler ’93] New Boots”, in Transworld Snowboarding ’93 Buyer’s Guide, Oceanside, Calif.: Transworld Media, →OCLC, page 88, column 1:
If you're spinning frontside, you're turning the same way you would for a heelside turn (counterclockwise for regulars, clockwise for goofies). Spinning backside or blindside means you're turning the same way you would for a toeside turn (clockwise for regulars and counterclockwise for goofies).1994, Jeff Bennett, Scott Downey, “Satisfying that Jib-bonk Urge: Freestyle”, in The Complete Snowboarder, Camden, Me.: Ragged Mountain Press, McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, page 73, column 2:
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The Wedge had by this time become a popular surf spot, as it created both left and right handed waves, so both "goofies" (left handed surfers) and naturals could enjoy it.2015, George Bell, “The Birth of the Wedge”, in A Lifetime of Diving Adventures: Memoirs of George Bell, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: ShieldCrest, →ISBN, page 155: