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goo-goo

English

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goo-goo¹

Where it comes from

First attested circa 1899, in US military slang, probably from American soldiers during the Philippine-American War hearing Tagalog gago (“idiot; fool; simpleton”) and Tagalog gaga (“female idiot; female fool”) and considering it to sound like babbling (goo goo ga ga).

Possibly influenced by goo-goo eyes, which "was in vogue c. 1900 and may have contributed to this somehow" since early uses of goo-goo and gook refer specifically to prostitutes who followed army camps.

See also gook.

noun goo-goos · gugu

  1. derogatory, ethnic, offensive, slur, vulgar A Filipino person.

goo-goo²

Where it comes from

From good government. Attested from the 1890s.

noun goo-goos · Goo-Goo

  1. US, derogatory A government reformer. Stinging Rebuke Administered to Bald Attempt to Grab City; Goo-Goo Clique Swept Off Their Feet by Landslide Against Municipal Freak

goo-goo³

Where it comes from

Uncertain; perhaps from goggle. Attested from 1900.

adjective more goo-goo · most goo-goo

  1. slang, usually, of the eyes Amorous, affectionate. I wants to ask one question now, please let me call you dear, It cost a lot to gain a rep. But I’ll blow the road right here, if you’ll be mine, if you’ll be mine, Just because you makes them goo-goo eyes

goo-goo⁴

interjection

  1. onomatopoeic The noise of a baby trying to imitate speech.

Translations

Every language

intj noise of a baby trying to imitate speech

Русскийагу́-агу́ agú-agú
Tiếng Việtbi bô, bập bẹ

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"goo-goo." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/goo-goo. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

goo-goo. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/goo-goo

Chicago

"goo-goo." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/goo-goo.

BibTeX
@misc{goo_goo_2026,
  title = {goo-goo},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/goo-goo},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}