bogey

¹ American  

[boh-gee, boog-ee, boo-gee] / ˈboʊ gi, ˈbʊg i, ˈbu gi /

noun

plural

bogeys

1. Golf.

   1. a score of one stroke over par on a hole.

   2. par.

2. bogy.

3. Military. Also bogy, bogie an unidentified aircraft or missile, especially one detected as a blip on a radar screen.

4. bogie.

---

verb (used with object)

bogeyed, bogeying

1. Golf. to make a bogey on (a hole).

   Arnold Palmer bogeyed the 18th hole.

bogey ² American  

[boh-gee] / ˈboʊ gi /

noun

plural

bogeys

1. a swim; bathe.

---

verb (used without object)

bogeyed, bogeying

1. to swim; bathe.

bogey ³ American  

[boh-gee] / ˈboʊ gi /

verb (used with or without object)

bogeyed, bogeying,

plural

bogeys

1. bogart.

---

bogey ¹ British  

/ ˈbəʊɡɪ /

noun

1. an evil or mischievous spirit

2. something that worries or annoys

3. golf

   1. a score of one stroke over par on a hole Compare par

   2. obsolete a standard score for a hole or course, regarded as one that a good player should make

4. slang a piece of dried mucus discharged from the nose

5. slang air force an unidentified or hostile aircraft

6. slang a detective; policeman

---

verb

1. (tr) golf to play (a hole) in one stroke over par

bogey ² British  

/ ˈbəʊɡɪ /

verb

1. to bathe or swim

---

noun

1. a bathe or swim

Etymology

Origin of bogey¹

First recorded in 1890–95; spelling variant of bogy ²

Origin of bogey²

First recorded in 1845–50; from Dharuk, equivalent to bū- “bathe” + -gi past tense marker

Origin of bogey³

First recorded in 1985–90; in reference to Bogey or Bogie , nickname of Humphrey Bogart

Example Sentences

Back-to-back bogeys at the third and fourth did not help the Englishman's cause but Chacarra's tee-shot found the water at the eighth, leading to a bogey and a two-shot swing as Fitzpatrick made his birdie.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Hojgaard also had two bogeys and one double bogey, despite two birdies, in his first 10 holes to boost Woodland's chances.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

That included a three-birdie burst at nine, 10 and 11 and, after a bogey at 12, birdies at 16, 17 and 18.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

A birdie at No. 6 put McIlroy alone in second at 13 under, then Penge dropped another shot off the pace with a bogey at No. 7.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026

Heroes and bogey men, values and dislikes, are first encountered and labeled in that early environment.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou