Booby prize
A booby prize is a joke prize usually given in recognition of a terrible performance or last-place finish. A person who finishes last, for example, may receive a booby prize such as a worthless coin. Booby prizes are sometimes jokingly coveted as an object of pride. Booby prizes may also be given as consolation prizes to all non-placing participants of a competition.
The word "boob" stems from the Spanish bobo meaning silly, which in turn came from the Latin balbus meaning stammering; the word booby to mean dunce appeared in 1599. Booby prize literally means "idiot's prize". The OED dates this usage to 1893. Booby trap and "booby hatch" are related terms.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Straight Dope: What's the origin of "booby trap"?". www.straightdope.com. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2025-02-11.