What does goody mean?
Goody is an informal English word for something attractive, enjoyable, or worth having, especially a sweet or savoury treat. In the plural, goodies commonly means refreshments or small rewards distributed to children, as at a party or celebration, though the singular goody can denote one such item. The word can also mean a reward or bonus and, in an older or less common use, a person considered good or well behaved. In older informal usage, goody has appeared as an adjective meaning “good” or “pleasant” and as an exclamation of delight, but those forms now sound distinctly dated or childlike. The plural goodies is much more frequent than the singular, which helps explain why goody often carries a warm, playful, nostalgic tone rather than the neutral sense of a generic “good thing.” It is useful precisely because it combines moral approval with the idea of material pleasure: a goody is not merely good in the abstract but something chosen for the pleasure it brings. Today, the word appears across everyday British and American English, especially in family, food, reward, and children’s contexts.
An attractive, enjoyable, or desirable thing, especially a sweet or savoury treat; also, a small reward, bonus, or extra. In an older use, it means a person regarded as good or well behaved.
"The baker handed each child a goody from the counter."
The usual plural is goodies. The word is informal and often particularly associated with treats and rewards for children.
Good, nice, or pleasing.
"It was a goody day, and they spent most of it outside."
Chiefly informal, dialectal, and old-fashioned.
An exclamation expressing delight or satisfaction.
"“Goody! There are biscuits for tea!”"
Now chiefly old-fashioned and childlike.
Goodies is the standard and much more frequent plural, especially when referring to treats, refreshments, or small rewards.
"The party bags were full of goodies."
Once a label for a virtuous person, goody now survives whenever a treat appears.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of goody
The noun goody is an English formation dating from the early 19th century, built from good with the suffix -y. Its older sense for a person considered good developed alongside its now-common use for an attractive thing or treat. The root good descends from Old English gōd, and related English formations include goodness, goodly, and goodwill.
Related word forms
How goody is actually used
Goody is informal and often playful or nostalgic. The plural goodies is much more frequent than the singular goody, especially for treats and rewards; the adjective and interjection uses now sound old-fashioned or childlike.
Easily confused with goody
Goody and goodie are variant spellings of the same word, with goodie especially common in the plural form goodies.