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Glite Dictionary
goonie

goonie

3 9.9
A large sea bird with black feet that lives in the North Pacific
  • noun
  • /ˈɡuːni/
  • US
translation icon : goonie
  • And you'll be a goonie too.

Examples

  • FTRA Two, who'd come to the party without shank or sharp object or goonie stick, gave me and George some fearful looking over.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The goonie is known for its impressive wingspan and unique black feet.

  • I saw a goonie soaring over the ocean while on a boat tour.

  • The goonie, with its large body and distinctive features, is a fascinating bird to observe.

Synonyms

gooney
vsgoonie
  • US
1 9.9

A large sea bird with long wings and black feet that lives in the North Pacific

is identical in meaning but uses a different common spelling
black-footed albatross
vsgoonie
  • US
8.9

A large sea bird with dark feathers and black feet that flies over the North Pacific

is the general descriptive name rather than the exact species label
Diomedea nigripes
vsgoonie
  • Specialized
9.9

A large sea bird with dark feathers and black feet that lives in the North Pacific

is the common descriptive name rather than the scientific Latin name
gooney bird
vsgoonie
  • US
9.5

A large sea bird with long wings that looks clumsy on land

focuses on physical features rather than awkward movement on land
goony
vsgoonie
  • US
9.9

A large sea bird with black feet that lives in the Pacific

is mainly North Pacific rather than applying to the whole Pacific region

Surface Forms

goonie singular
goonies plural

Etymology

The word goonie is a sailor's nickname for a large albatross; one popular story says sailors called it this because it walks clumsily on land like a big sea 'goose'. That's why goonie now means the large, often black-footed albatross seen in the North Pacific.