noun
doofus
DOO-fuhs
noun
1
A foolish, clumsy, or silly person.
"I locked my keys in the car again — what a doofus."
"Stop acting like a doofus and read the instructions."
How to Use Doofus
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn affectionate or mildly mocking word for someone acting foolish.
When to use it
Informal and usually good-humoured rather than genuinely insulting.
Easily confused with
goofus
Word Forms
doofuses plural, doofi plural
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Etymology
Probably an alteration of the 1920s slang word "goofus," shaped by a Scots word meaning "simpleton."