English
Goody
Goody comes from Middle English Godeve, and goes back to Old English Godġifu.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150Godġifu
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Godeve
- Englishearliest quotation 2025Goody
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150Godġifu
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Godeve
- Englishearliest quotation 2025Goody
Earliest quotation: 2025, Debra Cassens Weiss: “Rankin sanctioned Ayala $3,000 and kicked him off the…”
A compound of god + ġifu
Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- ‘to give, move’
Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-e-ti
Proto-Germanic *gebaną ‘to give’
Proto-Germanic *gebō ‘gift’
Proto-West Germanic *gebu ‘gift’
Old English ġiefu
Every English word from Old English Godġifu
Today it means
name A surname from Old English.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English Godġifu / Goody