Another name for the albatross, particularly used by sailors; also spelled 'gooney' or 'golly.'
Origin uncertain, possibly from Portuguese 'goni' or a Portuguese Creole term, or alternatively derived from 'gone' referring to the bird's absence from land for long periods. Sailors' nomenclature often reflects observational humor about animal behavior.
Sailors gave albatrosses multiple slang names—goney, gooney, and golly—possibly because these massive seabirds seemed comically clumsy on land but magically graceful in the air, going from goofy to gone in seconds.
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