boo-boo - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (2024)

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• booboo, boo boo

Etymology[edit]

• Possibly from bug-a-boo, an imaginary evil goblin.
• Possibly from bubo, a swollen lymph node especially obvious in sufferers of bubonic plague.
• Possibly from the sound a baby or young toddler might make.
• Possibly borrowed from French bobo (“boo-boo”)

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈbuːˌbuː/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun[edit]

boo-boo (countable and uncountable, plural boo-boos)

1. (countable, colloquial, often childish) A mistake or error.

   Synonyms: blooper, blunder, misstep, fluff, oopsy, slip; see also Thesaurus:error

2. (countable, colloquial, childish, by or to young children) A minor injury, such as a cut or a bruise.

   Synonyms: owie, scrape, bruise, nick, scratch; see also Thesaurus:injury

3. (uncountable, colloquial, childish, by or to young children) Feces.

   Synonyms: (childish) boom-boom, (childish) doo-doo, (childish) poo; see also Thesaurus:feces

Usage notes[edit]

(injury): Sometimes used sarcastically regarding overreaction to a very minor injury, as in "Aw, did the little boy get a boo-boo?"

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

boo-boo (third-person singular simple present boo-boos, present participle boo-booing, simple past and past participle boo-booed)

1. (colloquial, childish) To make a mistake.

   • 1952, The Ferroequinologist: A Journal for Students of the Iron Horse‎^[1]:

     We boo-booed in giving the address of California Electric Railway Enthusiasts, and we realized it while mailing the last issue. Correct address is […]

   • 1999, Dan Gookin, Word 2000 For Dummies‎^[2]:

     If you do this and feel that you have boo-booed, press Shift+F5, the Go Back keyboard shortcut, to return from whence you came (that is, back to your previous edit).

     See Also

     What the Hell is Up with 'Bae'?

2. (colloquial, childish, by or to young children) To defecate.

   Synonyms: (childish) poo; see also Thesaurus:defecate

   • 1974, The Southeastern Reporter‎^[3]:

     I went upstairs and Joseph, my husband, he came upstairs and found some boo boo on the floor. My little girl boo booed on herself downstairs as I was getting ready to clean her up.

   • 2012, Carolyn Herring-Moore, When Enough is Enough: When You’re Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired, Xlibris, →ISBN, page unknown:

     “Ya know, I don't know what is wrong with my stomach. I must have eaten something spoiled at the job. I was at a customer's home climbing a pole, and I started boo-booing on myself. I got off the pole and took some of the leaves to wipe my butt. Man, that's a horrible feeling.”

   • 2012, Reginald Killings, I Am Drama City: Trust, Love, Loyalty Is All We Know, Xlibris, →ISBN, page 34:

     I'm still going through so much shock. I can't go through all this. My stomach is rumbling. I have to use the restroom so bad. I was about to boo boo on myself but I remembered what the nurse told me the earlier.

   • 2017, /u/thesnakeinthegarden, “Oh god. Donna Brazile opened her mouth again.”, in Reddit‎^[4]:

     We didn't start demonizing Socialists until the 50s when everyone boo-booed they pants about communist russia.

   • 2017, /u/Dwelld, “What was the worst situation you have crapped your pants?”, in Reddit‎^[5]:

     Imagine a little kid in a big ass button down coat sitting in a car and then just saying I boo booed on myself.

See also[edit]

• na-na na-na boo-boo

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