Goombah

Look up goombah in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Optional spellings Goomba, Goombah, Gumba, Gumbah.

Goombah is the Americanized spelling of cumpa, a Southern Italian dialectic version of the Italian word compare (masculine "friend").^[1] In many Southern Italian dialects (see Neapolitan language and Sicilian language) C is pronounced like G and P is pronounced like B. The feminine form commare therefore sounded like "goommody", sometimes shortened to "goomah".

Gumba is a slang noun for a companion or associate, especially an older friend who acts as a patron, protector, or adviser. It probably derived as an alteration of Italian compare (godfather), from medieval Latin compater.^[2] These terms were used to designate a close friend, but not a relative, who was in your wedding party or whose wedding party you were in, or one who was a godparent to your child or if you were a godparent to one of theirs.

When used by non-Italians, goomba is often derogatory in nature, implying a stereotypical Italian-American male or Mafioso.^[1]

Goomba, Goombah, Gumba, Gumbah may also refer to:

• Goombas, fictional creatures in the Super Mario video game series
• Goomba, a Game Boy video game emulator named for the Mario creature
• A dumb person^[1]
• A Goomba's Guide to Life, a book by Steve Schirripa and Charles Fleming (ISBN 1-4000-4639-4)
• Goombah, alternative spelling of gumbe, a Jamaican drum; see List of Caribbean drums and Music of Jamaica
• Local term for Goombala Road in Victoria, Australia

See also

• paisan, interchangeable non-pejorative slang for an Italian American
• Guido (slang)
• Wop
• Mafioso
• Guappo

References