Plural of 'goofball'; silly, foolish, or eccentric people, or slang for certain pharmaceutical drugs (depressants or sedatives).
From 'goof' (to act silly or make a mistake) plus 'ball' (possibly from the image of something round and silly, or from rhyming slang traditions). 'Goof' itself likely comes from the name of the Disney character Goofy, or from earlier words meaning 'silly' or 'foolish.'
The word 'goofball' perfectly captures how language can combine simple everyday words ('goof' + 'ball') to create something that just feels right—it even sounds silly when you say it, which is exactly what it means!
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