Meanings
goombah1
plural goombahs · alternative goomba · alternative gumba · alternative gumbah
goombah2
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA person of Italian descent (often implies the person is connected to Italian organized crime)
Origin
- Latincompater
- Siciliancumpari“buddy, pal”
- Neapolitancumpà
- Englishgoombah
From Neapolitan cumpà and Sicilian cumpari (“buddy, pal”, akin to Italian compare, Spanish compadre, literally “godfather”), from Latin compater, a word often used to refer to “family friends” or friends close enough to be considered an “aunt” or “uncle”, though not related by blood. To an English-speaking ear, the unaspirated stops of Southern Italian dialects (especially Neapolitan) are interpreted as voiced stops, yielding goombah. Compare South American Spanish cumpa. Doublet of compadre, compeer, and compere.
More words from Neapolitan, Sicilian, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with goombah
All rhymes →Cite this entry
goombah. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/goombah
“goombah.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/goombah. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “goombah,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/goombah.
Source: goombah on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.