boob

IPA/buːb/
KK[bˈub]IPA/buːb/

boob — noun

  • boobsingular
  • boobsplural

1. an informal word for one breast on a woman's chest.

1.noun
Definition

an informal word for one breast on a woman's chest.

Example

After the fall, Priya said her right boob still hurt.

informal body word: one boob

At home, Hana said one boob hurt where the bra strap rubbed.

Common collocations
  • right boob
  • left boob
  • cover one boob
  • boob pain
Synonyms
  • breast

    the normal general word, used in both everyday and medical English

  • chest

    broader; it names the front upper body, not only the breast

  • bust

    less common in daily speech; often used for clothes or body shape

  • bosom

    literary or old-fashioned

Grammar Patterns

one boob

both boobs

Usage Note

Often used in casual speech, and the plural boobs is more common when both breasts are meant. In medical, legal, or careful discussion, breast is usually the better choice.

Common Mistakes

The doctor checked her boob tissue.
The doctor checked her breast tissue.
'boob' is too informal for medical or formal contexts.

2. an insulting word for a person thought to be foolish or awkward.

2.noun
Definition

an insulting word for a person thought to be foolish or awkward.

Example

Only a boob would post his bank password online.

a boob would + verb

Mina called her cousin a boob after the ladder broke.

call someone a boob

Common collocations
  • complete boob
  • act like a boob
  • call someone a boob
Synonyms
  • fool

    the broad everyday word and usually less colorful

  • idiot

    a stronger and harsher insult

  • dope

    informal North American English; can sound teasing rather than severe

  • oaf

    suggests clumsy or socially awkward behavior

Grammar Patterns

a boob

complete boob

act like a boob

Usage Note

Mostly North American. Common after a, an, or complete, and usually aimed directly at a person rather than used in formal writing.

Common Mistakes

The broken printer is a boob.
The broken printer is faulty.
this sense is used for a person, not for a machine or object.

3. an informal word for a careless or embarrassing mistake.

3.noun
Definition

an informal word for a careless or embarrassing mistake.

Example

Leaving the tickets at home was a real boob.

a real boob = a bad mistake

Booking the hall for Friday was a boob.

Common collocations
  • make a boob
  • a real boob
  • a boob in the report
Synonyms
  • blunder

    usually sounds more serious and often more formal

  • error

    neutral and common, without the informal tone

  • goof

    informal and close in tone, especially in North American English

  • slip

    suggests a small mistake, often made by accident

Grammar Patterns

make a boob

a real boob

a boob in + noun

Usage Note

Mostly British and often appears after make, as in make a boob. It usually points to one act that went wrong, not to a person's general ability.

Common Mistakes

I did a boob on the form.
I made a boob on the form.
this noun normally goes with 'make', not 'do'.

boob — verb

Word family

  • booby
    nounC2
  • boobish
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For this body sense, 'breast' is the normal general word and fits both everyday and medical English. 'Boob' is much more informal and can sound playful, careless, or rude, depending on tone and setting. 'Chest' is broader because it names the whole front upper body, so speakers often choose it when they do not want to mention breasts directly. 'Bust' is less common in daily conversation and is often used for clothes, body shape, or measurements. 'Bosom' is literary or old-fashioned and is rare in ordinary speech. Compare: 'The doctor examined her breast after the scan.' 'She joked that the seat belt pressed one boob all morning.' 'This dress is too tight across the bust.'

boob ↗breast ↗chest ↗bust ↗bosom ↗

Etymology

SpanishEnglish

The older English senses about a foolish person or a foolish mistake grew out of 'booby', an earlier insult for someone seen as stupid. That family came into English through Spanish forms connected with 'bobo', meaning foolish. The body sense developed later in informal English as another shortened form, this time from a word for the breast used in earlier dialect speech. So modern 'boob' brings together two informal histories: one about foolishness and one about the body.