Goobers

/ˈɡuː.bɚz/ noun

Definition

Plural of goober; informal term for peanuts, especially boiled peanuts, common in Southern American cuisine.

Etymology

From Bantu 'nguba' or 'ngobé' brought to America through African language, the word traveled through American Southern dialects and became a beloved colloquialism for peanuts.

Kelly Says

Goobers are a perfect example of how food words come from cultural contact—English colonists in the American South adopted the African name for peanuts, creating a word unique to that region that's still used today.

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