goofer

1 of 2

noun (1)

goof·​er

ˈgüfə(r)

plural -s

: goof

had a considerable understanding of goofers because … he was a little goofy himself

—Esther Forbes

goofer

2 of 2

noun (2)

goo·​fer

"

variants or less commonly guffer

ˈgəfə(r)

plural -s

1

chiefly southern U.S. and African American English : a traditional conjurer or healer

especially : a voodoo doctor

2

: a curse or spell

put the goofer on us

—J. S. Redding

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

goof entry 1 + -er

Noun (2)

of African origin; akin to Mende ngafa spirit, ghost, Ewe ga³fe³ shrine of a god, Fon kafo iron fetish

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!