booby的词源

英文词源

booby (n.): 1590s, from Spanish bobo "stupid person, slow bird" (used of various ungainly seabirds), probably from Latin balbus "stammering," from an imitative root (see barbarian).

Booby prize is by 1883: an object of little value given to the loser of a game; booby trap is 1850, originally a schoolboy prank; the more lethal sense developed during World War I.
At the end of every session the dominie had the satirical custom of presenting his tawse as a "booby-prize" to some idle or stupid lout whom he picked out as meriting this distinction so that next time they met he might start fresh and fair with new pair for a new set of classes. [Ascott R. Hope, "Dumps," "Young England" magazine, 1883]

来自拉丁词bulbus, 结巴，拟声词，词源同barbarian. 鲣鸟义来自西班牙语，一种跑得很慢的鸟。

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：booby 词源，booby 含义。