spoony: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Very low (archaic)
UK/ˈspuːni/US/ˈspuni/

Archaic

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Quick answer

What does “spoony” mean?

Foolishly sentimental or infatuated.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

Foolishly sentimental or infatuated.

Acting like a simpleton; characterized by foolish or excessive affection.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences; both varieties consider the word archaic.

Connotations

Slightly humorous or derogatory, implying naivety in matters of love.

Frequency

Extremely rare in modern usage, more likely encountered in older texts.

Grammar

How to Use “spoony” in a Sentence

be spoony over someoneact spoony

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
spoony loverspoony infatuation
medium
spoony behaviorspoony admiration
weak
spoony lookspoony smile

Examples

Examples of “spoony” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

  • In the novel, the hero is spoony over the heroine, much to his friends' amusement.

American English

  • His spoony antics made everyone at the party roll their eyes.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Not applicable

Academic

Rarely used, might appear in literary analysis or historical studies

Everyday

Obsolete; would sound archaic if used

Technical

Not used

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “spoony”

Strong

infatuatedbesotted

Neutral

sentimentalromantic

Weak

fondaffectionate

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “spoony”

dispassionateunsentimentalrational

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “spoony”

  • Using 'spoony' in contemporary speech where it might be misunderstood.
  • Confusing it with 'spoonful' or other spoon-related terms.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, 'spoony' is considered archaic and is rarely used in contemporary language.

While historically it might have been used as a verb meaning to behave foolishly in love, it is not standard in modern usage.

'Spoony' is primarily an adjective, meaning foolishly sentimental or infatuated.

No, there are no common idioms or phrases that include 'spoony'; it is a standalone descriptive term.

Foolishly sentimental or infatuated.

Spoony is usually archaic in register.

Spoony: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspuːni/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspuni/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'spoon' + 'y' – imagine someone being as foolishly in love as if they were a spoon, a simple utensil.

Conceptual Metaphor

Infatuation is a form of foolish simplicity.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
After meeting her, he became quite and could talk of nothing else.
Multiple Choice

What is the best definition of 'spoony'?

Practise

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Five interactive tools to remember words, train your ear, and build vocabulary in real context — drawn from this dictionary.

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