doofus
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of doofus
An Americanism daing back to 1960–65; probably alteration of earlier goofus in same sense
Explanation
A doofus is a dummy or a simpleton — in other words, a goofy person who's not very smart. You might decide not to buy a top hat and suspenders after trying them on, looking in a mirror, and realizing you look like a doofus. Use the informal doofus when someone acts with stupidity or does something ridiculous and unthinking. If your brother angrily accuses you of stealing his favorite sunglasses, you can say, "You mean the ones on your head, doofus?" The word was originally 1960s US student slang, and it's thought to be modeled after goofus, an older term with a similar meaning, or to stem from the Scots doof, or "dolt."
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.
He recently finished shooting a Channel 4 sitcom in which he plays Doofus.
From The Guardian • Apr. 14, 2020
Make it something your typical audience of family and friends will never see, so it can be the place where Smart You is not welcome and Doofus You gets to frolic in the daisies.
From Washington Post • Aug. 9, 2015
Solowheel Classic $1,595 Maximum speed: 10 mph Range on one charge: 10 miles Time to fully charge: Two hours Motor power: 1,500 watts Weight: 25 pounds Doofus factor: Unimaginably high.
From Slate • Apr. 23, 2015
He turns a jerk into a heroic figure: St. Doofus.
From Time Magazine Archive
Every once in a while someone managed to slip past the Doofus and ask for her autograph.
From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
