English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From spoon +‎ -y. See notes at spoonie.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈspuː.ni/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -uːni

Adjective edit

spoony (comparative spoonier, superlative spooniest)

  1. Enamored in a silly or sentimental way.
    • 1852, Henry Drummond Wolff, Blondelle, page 139:
      "My dear Guy, the fact is, that I can't—force the girl's—feelings. You shall come with us—to-morrow, and speak to her as you like—but—if she does not like you—au'd'ammee! Why you know I can't make her. She—silly child—is spoony, I think, on that cousin of her's, Dalrymple—he, I believe, is spoony on her."
    • 2020, Lorna Locke, Romie's Fantasies (Lakeside Lovers; 3):
      Of course, it was unlikely to unfold on its own. Romilda was shy and Mr. Reeves was a professional. Even if they were absolutely spoony for each other it was difficult to imagine either of them taking that first scary step toward romance.
  2. Feebly sentimental; gushy.
  3. Similar to a spoon
    That's a very spoony fork.

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

Noun edit

spoony (plural spoonies)

  1. (informal) A foolish, simple, or silly person.
  2. (informal) A foolishly amorous person.
    • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 3, in The History of Pendennis. [], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, [], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
      Major Pendennis, when the offer of the commission was acknowledged and refused, wrote back a curt and somewhat angry letter to the widow, and thought his nephew was rather a spooney.
    • 1861, Marie Louise Hankins, “The Fascinating Lady”, in Women of New York, page 129:
      Occasionally, a Fascinating Lady catches a rich spoony whom she can manage and control. In that case, she continues to have all her whims fully gratified until Mr. Spoony's fortune is exhausted, and the creditors carry off the off the nice furniture.

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