Boo

How to spell boo

3 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce boo

What does boo mean?

1. interjectionAn exclamation shouted suddenly to startle or surprise someone.
2. verbTo shout in disapproval, especially at a performer, speaker, or team.
3. nounA shout or sound expressing disapproval or contempt.

Boo in a sentence

• interjection

  He jumped out from behind the door and yelled boo to scare his sister.

• verb

  The crowd began to boo when the referee waved away a clear penalty.

• noun

  A loud boo rose from the stands as the announcement was read out.

• interjection

  The toddler hid under the blanket and whispered boo before giggling.

• verb

  Fans will boo any player who refuses to shake hands after the match.

• noun

  The politician was met with one long boo from the angry audience.

Where does boo come from?

Language of origin: Other

Boo is an echoic, or imitative, word, meaning it was coined to mirror the actual sound rather than descending from any older root. It is recorded in English from around the fifteenth century, originally written in forms such as 'bo' or 'boh', as a loud noise used to startle or frighten. Early on it was tied to a now famous boast, 'he cannot say boo to a goose', which described a person too timid to make even the smallest sound of protest. From the sense of a sudden cry, the word later took on the meaning of a jeering shout of disapproval, especially aimed at performers or speakers, a use that grew common in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Because the spelling simply doubles the 'o' to stretch the vowel, it stays short and regular, and the main trap is choosing between 'boo', 'booh', and the unrelated 'boo-hoo' used for weeping.

How the word is built

• boo (echoic root imitating a sudden loud or jeering sound; no prefix or suffix)