goon

goon · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    (informal) A hired thug or strong-arm man, especially one employed to intimidate or harm people.

  2. 2.

    (informal) A stupid or foolish person.

  3. 3.

    (ice hockey, informal) A player known primarily for fighting rather than skill.

  4. 4.

    (Australian slang) Cheap wine, typically sold in a bag-in-box container.

Forms

plural: goons

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    goon squad — A group of thugs or enforcers

Related words

See also: brute, enforcer, henchman, thug
Synonyms: brute, henchman, idiot, oaf, thug

Etymology

Possibly from the character "Alice the Goon" in the comic strip Thimble Theatre (later Popeye) from the 1930s. Alice was depicted as a large, strange creature. The word may also be influenced by "gooney" (meaning a simpleton).