goo
Americannoun
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a thick or sticky substance.
Wash that goo off your hands.
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maudlin sentimentality.
noun
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a sticky or viscous substance
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coy or sentimental language or ideas
Etymology
Origin of goo
1910–15, perhaps short for burgoo
Explanation
Any kind of drippy, yucky, gunky stuff can be called goo. Some people love tapioca pudding, while others feel that it's nothing but lumpy goo. The filling in a donut is one kind of goo — custard or jelly that oozes out when you take a bite. An unidentified blob of slime on the sidewalk or the glistening trail left behind by a slug, are other, much less appealing kinds of goo. Goo was coined in the US, but its origins beyond that are unclear. Many experts think gooey came first, possibly shortened from the now-obsolete burgoo, or "porridge."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Goo Man knows he sells processed goo.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
His emotions — and that sticky goo in his wrists — are about to burst.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Where we might see unwelcome green goo, the Reavies of the world see “really interesting organisms” that are omnipresent, important, and full of information.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026
When the ROV returns, there is an excited dash for the samples including seawater, sediment and a forearm-length sea lily coated with dripping orange goo.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
Her pancakes had white goo and egg shells in them.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
