What does boody mean?
"Boody" is a dialectal noun from Northern England and Scotland meaning a fit of the sulks — a stretch of silent, petulant bad temper, often marked by withdrawal rather than open complaint. To say someone is "in a boody," or that they have "taken the boody," is to describe that familiar state of wounded self-absorption, typically over a slight grievance. The word belongs firmly to informal, domestic registers: it is the kind of term used affectionately or teasingly within families, carrying more warmth than condemnation, though it can shade into mild criticism of someone seen as oversensitive. Outside its home regions it will be unfamiliar to most English speakers, which makes it a charming example of how local vocabulary captures emotional states that standard words like "mood" or "huff" handle less precisely. Its rarity today gives it value as a vivid, characterful alternative in informal writing.
A fit of the sulks; a spell of silent, petulant ill humour.
"He's been in a boody ever since they chose someone else's idea."
Regional to Northern England and Scotland; informal and often used teasingly.
A sulky person; someone habitually given to sulking.
"Come away from the window and stop being such a boody."
Less frequent than the first sense; found mainly in older dialect records.
The plural is straightforwardly formed with -s and follows normal noun inflection.
"Her boodies were legendary in the office, though always short-lived."
Long before 'sulking' got its own room on the internet, Northern England had a whole word for it — and taking 'the boody' was practically an art form.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of boody
"Boody" arises from regional British dialect, recorded in Northern English and Scots usage, where it has long denoted a fit of sulking. Its ultimate origin is uncertain; lexicographers have generally treated it as a word of obscure or purely dialectal development rather than tracing it confidently to an earlier root. It appears in major historical dictionaries of English dialect, which record it chiefly in the senses of sulky behaviour or a sulky disposition. No secure cognates in other languages are established, so claims of a shared root with other words should be treated with caution.
How boody is actually used
Strictly regional and informal, found chiefly in Northern English and Scots speech; it would strike most speakers outside those areas as unfamiliar. It carries a mildly humorous, affectionate connotation when used of family members rather than genuine hostility.
Easily confused with boody
"Body" refers to a person's physical frame, while "boody" is a dialect word for a fit of sulking.
"Booty" means plunder or (informally) the buttocks, whereas "boody" denotes a sulky temper.