# booby

/ˈbubi/ (US) · /bˈuːbi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/booby
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a seabird

noun · CEFR B2

a large tropical seabird that lives near the ocean.

For teachers: any of several species of large tropical seabirds within the family Sulidae, known for their clumsy movement on land.

- We saw a blue-footed booby diving for fish near the cliffs.
- The naturalist spent months observing the nesting habits of the masked booby on the remote tropical archipelago.

### 3. a foolish person

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Archaic

a silly or stupid person.

For teachers: a person perceived as foolish, stupid, or clumsy. Often used in the phrase 'booby prize' for the person who finishes last.

- Don't be such a booby and look where you are walking.
- He felt like a complete booby after tripping over the only obstacle in the empty hall.

Teaching tip: This sense is becoming dated; modern speakers are more likely to use 'idiot' or 'fool'.

### 4. to set a trap

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to hide a trap somewhere to surprise or hurt someone.

For teachers: to install a booby trap on or at a location; to rig an object to explode or collapse when touched.

- The kids tried to booby-trap the door with a bucket of water.
- Retreating forces had booby-trapped the abandoned crates to hinder the enemy's progress.

Usage: Usually appears in the compound form 'booby-trap' rather than the bare verb.

## Examples

- He is such a booby that he fell for the simplest scam.
- The old man was a complete booby, believing every story the con artist told him about the lottery.
- In the classic novel, the protagonist is portrayed as a booby who fails to recognize the subtle manipulations of his more cunning rivals, leading to his eventual downfall.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.