Origin of the word good

John Wooden — one of the greatest NCAA basketball head coaches of all time — once said, “Good things take time.” Still, what exactly does the word good mean? Sure, it’s the opposite of bad, but do you know the true definition behind the word good?

In this post, we’re exploring the word good to uncover its definition, origin, synonyms, antonyms, and more. So if you’ve ever wondered about the meaning behind good (/gʊd/ /ɡʊd/), keep reading. 

What Is the Definition of Good?

Good is primarily used as an adjective, as per the Collins English Dictionary, but it can also be used as a noun and even an adverb (though informal). Below we have listed a few of the various meanings and usages of good:

• Adjective: virtuous; pious; morally excellent; righteous — for example. “a good man” or “a good woman.”
• Adjective: in good standing; worthy or honorable — for example, “She comes from a good family.”
• Adjective: friendly, kind, or beneficent — for example, “They always do a good deed.”
• Adjective: satisfactory in degree, quantity, or quality — for example, “They were in good health, he gave good advice, and she was a good friend.”
• Adjective: of high quality and/or excellent 
• Noun: merchandise, articles of trade or wares; textile or cloth wares — for example, “We have plenty of canned goods.” 
• Adverb: Primarily used in an informal setting — for example, “He did really good on his math test this time.”

What Is the Word Origin of Good?

The Middle English good was first noted well before 900 and is a derivative of both the Old English gōd and the Old High German guot.

What Are the Synonyms and Antonyms of Good?

Below you will find all synonyms, antonyms, and idioms of the word good, which have been provided by the Cambridge American English Thesaurus: 

Synonyms

• Exceptional 
• Excellent
• Likable
• Positive 
• Comforting
• Fetching
• Fun
• Choice
• Show-stopping
• Well favored
• Fine
• Nice
• Virtuous
• Great
• Right
• Worthy
• Moral
• Benefit
• Decent
• Respectable 
• Sound
• Benevolent
• Just
• Delicious
• Fair
• Honorable
• All right
• Finest
• Happy
• Lovely
• Ethical
• Alright 
• Pleasing 
• Helpful
• Kind
• Sweet
• Splendid 
• Correct
• Positive 
  

Antonyms

• Bad 
• Evil
• Dark
• Two left foot
• Rotten
• Piss poor
• Naughty
• Wrong
• Atrocious
• Foul
• Run of the mill
• Unpleasant
• Dreadful
• Like a bull in a china shop
• Poor
• Obnoxious
• Awful
• Horrible
• Inferior
• Fair to middling 
• Vicious
• All fingers and thumbs 
• Improper
• Shameful
• Vile
• Mediocre
• Devil
• Graceless
• Inconsequential 
• Noxious
• Would be
• Outrageous 
  

Idioms

• Squeaky clean
• Fair and square
• Hunky-dory
• Fine and dandy
• Right as rain
• Up to snuff
• Above board
• Hale and hearty
• On the up and up
• On the level
• Nice as pie

How Can You Use Good in a Sentence?

By now, you likely have an improved understanding of our word of the day, but do you know how to use it in a sentence? Not to worry; here are some sentence examples for you to review:

Good Heavens! You almost made me have an accident— you scared me so good with that one! 

If you’re trying to get a good night’s rest, you may want to try a sleeping aid like melatonin.

We were hoping for good weather this weekend during our family outing, but alas, we got goodish weather at best. 

Many people are trying to live the good life, but I’m trying to live a great life.

Since you’re thinking about purchasing the property, be sure to take a good look around the house.

Are you trying to work for the common good?

I have a really good dog, but trust me when I tell you that these good manners didn’t happen overnight!

Good grief, you’re moving so slow!

If you’re looking for a good job that pays good money, I suggest asking for some recommendations from your pals.

Do you have any recommendations for a good book that I can read on my six-hour flight to Paris?

While it’s true that both good and evil exist, I find that good always tends to prevail.

I said good day, sir!

Becky has really good taste so if you need some fashion advice, I highly recommend getting with her.

What Are Translations of Good?

Good is a fairly versatile word with its many various meanings and uses! That said, a good way to talk with your pals from all over the globe is with translations of the popular adjective. 

Below you will find two different translations for the adjective good — both of which have been provided by Collins English Dictionary:

Translations of good when used as an adjective meaning “well behaved” include:

• American English — good  
• Arabic — لَطِيف
• Brazilian Portuguese — bom 
• Chinese (simplified) — 听话的
• Croatian — dobar
• Czech — hodný
• Danish — sød
• Japanese — 行儀のよい
• Korean — 모범적인
• Norwegian — snill
• Polish — grzeczny
• European Portuguese — bem 
• Romanian — cuminte
• Russian — хороший
• Spanish — bueno, comportamiento
• Swedish — snäll
• Thai — ทำตัวดี, ประพฤติดี
• Turkish — uslu
• Ukrainian — добрий
• Vietnamese — tốt
• Dutch — lief
• British English — good
• European Spanish — bueno 
• Finnish — kunnollinen
• French — bien éduqué 
• German — brav 
• Greek — καλός
• Italian — buono

Translations of good when used as an adjective synonymous with “talented” include:

• American English — good  
• Arabic — مَاهِر
• Brazilian Portuguese — bom 
• Chinese (simplified) — 擅长的
• Croatian — dobar
• Czech — dobrý v čem
• Danish — god
• Japanese — うまい
• Korean — 잘 하는
• British English — good
• Norwegian — flink
• Polish — dobry
• European Portuguese — bom 
• Romanian — priceput
• Russian — мастерский
• Spanish — buen, desempeño
• Swedish — bra
• Thai — เก่ง
• Turkish — iyi
• Ukrainian v вмілий
• Vietnamese — giỏi
• Dutch — goed
• European Spanish — bueno 
• Finnish — hyvä
• French — bon, bon en quelque chose
• German — gut 
• Greek — καλός
• Italian — bravo

Recap

To sum it all up, good is not only an adjective that many of us may have already been well acquainted with (meaning favorable, pleasing, and/or nice). Good can also be used as a noun referencing an item that can be sold.

Sources:

Good definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary 

good with synonyms and examples | Cambridge English Thesaurus 

John Wooden | Biography, Record, Books, & Facts | Britannica

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In most contexts, the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions. Good is generally considered to be the opposite of evil and is of interest in the study of ethics, morality, philosophy, and religion. The specific meaning and etymology of the term and its associated translations among ancient and contemporary languages show substantial variation in its inflection and meaning, depending on circumstances of place and history, or of philosophical or religious context.

History of Western ideas[edit]

Every language has a word expressing good in the sense of «having the right or desirable quality» (ἀρετή) and bad in the sense «undesirable». A sense of moral judgment and a distinction «right and wrong, good and bad» are cultural universals.^[1]

Plato and Aristotle[edit]

Although the history of the origin of the use of the concept and meaning of «good» are diverse, the notable discussions of Plato and Aristotle on this subject have been of significant historical effect. The first references that are seen in Plato’s The Republic to the Form of the Good are within the conversation between Glaucon and Socrates (454c–d). When trying to answer such difficult questions pertaining to the definition of justice, Plato identifies that we should not «introduce every form of difference and sameness in nature» instead we must focus on «the one form of sameness and difference that was relevant to the particular ways of life themselves”, which is the form of the Good. This form is the basis for understanding all other forms, it is what allows us to understand everything else. Through the conversation between Socrates and Glaucon (508a–c) Plato analogizes the form of the Good with the sun as it is what allows us to see things. Here, Plato describes how the sun allows for sight. But he makes a very important distinction, «sun is not sight», but it is «the cause of sight itself». As the sun is in the visible realm, the form of Good is in the intelligible realm. It is «what gives truth to the things known and the power to know to the knower». It is not only the «cause of knowledge and truth, it is also an object of knowledge».

Plato identifies how the form of the Good allows for the cognizance to understand such difficult concepts as justice. He identifies knowledge and truth as important, but through Socrates (508d–e) says, «good is yet more prized». He then proceeds to explain that «although the good is not being» it is «superior to it in rank and power», it is what «provides for knowledge and truth» (508e).^[2]

In contrast to Plato, Aristotle discusses the Forms of Good in critical terms several times in both of his major surviving ethical works, the Eudemian and Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotle argues that Plato’s Form of the Good does not apply to the physical world, for Plato does not assign «goodness» to anything in the existing world. Because Plato’s Form of the Good does not explain events in the physical world, humans have no reason to believe that the Form of the Good exists and the Form of the Good thereby, is irrelevant to human ethics.^[3]

Plato and Aristotle were not the first contributors in ancient Greece to the study of the «good» and discussion preceding them can be found among the pre-Socratic philosophers. In Western civilisation, the basic meanings of κακός and ἀγαθός are «bad, cowardly» and «good, brave, capable», and their absolute sense emerges only around 400 BC, with Pre-Socratic philosophy, in particular Democritus.^[4] Morality in this absolute sense solidifies in the dialogues of Plato, together with the emergence of monotheistic thought (notably in Euthyphro, which ponders the concept of piety (τὸ ὅσιον) as a moral absolute). The idea is further developed in Late Antiquity by Neoplatonists, Gnostics, and Church Fathers.

Ancient western religions[edit]

Aside from ancient Greek studies of the «good», more than twenty-five hundred years ago in the eastern part of ancient Persia a religious philosopher called Zoroaster simplified the pantheon of early Iranian deities ^[5] into two opposing forces: Ahura Mazda (Illuminating Wisdom) and Angra Mainyu (Destructive Spirit) that were in conflict.

For the western world, this idea developed into a religion that spawned many sects, some of which embraced an extreme dualistic belief that the material world should be shunned and the spiritual world should be embraced. Gnostic ideas influenced many ancient religions,^[6] which teach that gnosis (variously interpreted as enlightenment, salvation, emancipation, or «oneness with God») may be reached by practising philanthropy to the point of personal poverty, sexual abstinence (as far as possible for hearers and totally for initiates), and diligently searching for wisdom by helping others.^[7]

This development from the relative or habitual to the absolute is evident in the terms ethics and morality as well, both being derived from terms for «regional custom», Greek ἦθος and Latin mores, respectively (see also siðr).

Medieval period in western cultures[edit]

Medieval Christian philosophy was founded on the work of Bishop Augustine of Hippo and theologian Thomas Aquinas, who understood evil in terms of Biblical infallibility and Biblical inerrancy, as well as the influences of Plato and Aristotle, in their appreciation of the concept of the Summum bonum. Silent contemplation was the route to appreciation of the Idea of the Good.^[8]

Many medieval Christian theologians both broadened and narrowed the basic concept of Good and Evil until it came to have several, sometimes complex definitions such as:^[9]

• a personal preference or subjective judgment regarding any issue that might earn praise or punishment from the religious authorities
• religious obligation arising from Divine law leading to sainthood or damnation
• a generally accepted cultural standard of behaviour that might enhance group survival or wealth
• natural law or behaviour that induces strong emotional reaction
• statute law imposing a legal duty

Modern concepts[edit]

Kant[edit]

A significant enlightenment context for studying the «good» has been its significance in the study of «the good, the true, and the beautiful» as found in Immanuel Kant and other Enlightenment philosophers and religious thinkers. These discussions were undertaken by Kant, particularly in the context of his Critique of Practical Reason.

Rawls[edit]

John Rawls’s book A Theory of Justice prioritized social arrangements and goods, based on their contribution to justice. Rawls defined justice as fairness, especially in distributing social goods, defined fairness in terms of procedures, and attempted to prove that just institutions and lives are good, if every rational individual’s goods are considered fairly. Rawls’s crucial invention was the original position, a procedure in which one tries to make objective moral decisions by refusing to let personal facts about oneself enter one’s moral calculations.

Opposition to evil[edit]

In religion, ethics, and philosophy, «good and evil» is a very common dichotomy. In cultures with Manichaean and Abrahamic religious influence, evil is usually perceived as the antagonistic opposite of good. Good is that which should prevail and evil should be defeated.^[10]

As a religious concept, basic ideas of a dichotomy between good and evil has developed in western cultures so that today:

• Good is a broad concept, but it typically deals with an association with life, charity, continuity, happiness, love, and justice
• Evil typically is associated with conscious and deliberate wrongdoing, discrimination designed to harm others, humiliation of people designed to diminish their psychological needs and dignity, destructiveness, and acts of unnecessary and/or indiscriminate violence ^[11]
• the dilemma of the human condition and their capacity to perform both good and evil activities ^[12]

In Buddhism[edit]

In cultures with Buddhist spiritual influence, this antagonistic duality itself must be overcome through achieving Śūnyatā, or emptiness. This is the recognition of good and evil not being unrelated, but two parts of a greater whole; unity, oneness, a Monism.^[10]

In the field of biology[edit]

Morality is regarded by some biologists (notably Edward O. Wilson, Jeremy Griffith, David Sloan Wilson, and Frans de Waal) as an important question to be addressed by the field of biology.^{[13][14][15][16]}

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

Last week’s blog post was devoted to the origin of the word god and the proof that it is not related to good. There, I half-promised to write about the etymology of the adjective good, though I knew that there is very little to say, not because the word lacks interest but because I can only repeat what other people have written about it. Still, the notes that follow, though unoriginal, may be of some interest to our readers.

Good is a Common Germanic adjective and turns up more than once even in Gothic, the oldest recorded Germanic language. The Gothic text is a translation from Greek of parts of the New Testament. Goths ~ gods (modernized spelling) render in it Greek agathós, khrestós, and kalós, that is, “good, kind, able, beautiful.” It occurs as an attribute of a servant, a soldier, and a shepherd and carries rather obvious connotations of efficiency, rather than “goodness.” Also, the words for “heart” and “work” occur in Gothic with this adjective, and there, too, the same overtones are obvious. We use the adjective good freely: good man, good food, good house, and so forth, but in Old Germanic, this word had the connotations “worthy, noble” and was much more often applied to people than things. In the Old English heroic poem Beowulf, an early line praises a good (possibly, strong, kind, and generous) king. Elsewhere, gōd (ō designates a long vowel) also means “efficient, strong, brave.” In Old Norse, this adjective can be safely translated as “efficient, noble.”

Medieval Scandinavia is rich in rune stones. They contain memorial inscriptions, mostly to the relatives fallen in battle, and the word for “good” occurs there with great regularity. The dead son or brother is often called good, obviously, “courageous, valiant, brave.” With time, the Christian overtones “virtuous, pious” (as in a good Samaritan, Good Friday, the exclamation Goodness gracious, and the like) became more and more prominent, and nowadays, good is a colorless epithet of approval (compare good for you). As always in such cases, the best etymology of good should reckon with the oldest senses of this word, among which “efficient” is the most prominent. (A parenthetic remark. Pay attention to the irregular degrees of comparison: good—better. A similar case is bad—worse.  It seems that good and bad were qualities that could not be “quantified,” like small—smaller, big—bigger, or old—older. This is an intriguing aside on so-called suppletive forms. See the post for 9 January 2013: “How come that the past of go is went?” Don’t missthe numerous comments following that old post.)

In the etymology of good, the thorniest question is whether the Germanic word has anything to do with agathós. The Greek adjective has the same overtones as its Germanic counterpart. Homer’s usage is unmistakable. Agathós often occurs in his poems because, among other things, it fits the hexameter so well. And yet, the two words are, almost certainly, not related (I’ll skip references to the rich literature devoted to this question). The origin of agathós is unknown, and it is unclear whether, from the historical point of view, it is aga-thós “very fit for war, running fast” or a-gathós, with the obscure element a. According to an often-invoked rule, one word of unknown origin can provide no help in a search for the etymology of another opaque word. (Sorry for repeating this maxim with such regularity.)

The Germanic root of good was gōth-, but in the process of reconstructing an ancient root of Indo-European, Greek th does not correspond to Germanic th. Direct borrowing is out of the question. Other Greek words have been cited as possible cognates of good, but those hypotheses died without issue. With some regret, historical linguists began to look for a different etymology of good, and, it seems, discovered it. This is the etymology one can find, even if sometimes with a bit of hedging, in all modern dictionaries.

Here are some words, presumably having the same root as good: Engl. gather (from Old Engl. gaderian) and (to)gether, Sanskrit gadh– “to cling to,” Latvian goùdas “honor, glory,” and especially the Slavic words with the root god-. Those words mean “fit, usable; to please, pleasing; profit; in advance; good weather” and in dialects, also “considerable; worthy, valuable; pleasant, pretty.” Equally instructive are Old Engl. (ge)gada and gæde-ling (both mean “companion, comrade”), with several cognates in Germanic denoting “friend; relative.” They always refer to being connected or fitting. Russian god means “year,” initially, as it seems, “a proper, good season for some work.” This semantic leap should not surprise us. In the remote past, people seldom needed a word for “a whole year,” perhaps mainly or only when they described a lamb or a calf as a yearling. Only later, some noun acquired the modern sense. The same is true of Engl. year. Its cognates outside Germanic usually mean “season; spring; summer.” Elsewhere, this root occurs in words meaning “to go, pass.” In Slavic studies, the root god– has also been compared with Greek agathós, but there, too, this comparison was eventually given up. Above, I wrote that the Germanic adjective could under no circumstances be borrowed form Greek. The solid Slavic connection makes the idea of borrowing from Greek into two branches of Indo-European even more improbable.

As a general rule, abstract meanings go back to concrete, more tangible ones. Before such a vague idea as that contained in the adjective good became universal, people seem to have asked themselves: “Good for what?” In our case, the answer is “good for being connected or fastened, for belonging together,” that is, “proper, fitting.” Today, as noted above, a man, a book, food, and anything, including weather and life, can be good or bad. Such was not the situation at the dawn of civilization.

Rather long ago, I wrote several posts about the word bad (17 June, 24 June, 8 July, and 15 July 2015). One can see that the opposite of good is, from an etymological point of view, an even harder word than good. This result makes sense: “good” is, at least to a certain extent, concrete, but “bad” is only “not good” and can evolve from any unpleasant fact or sensation.

Let me finish this dry post on a lighter note. The poet Vladimir Mayakovski (or Mayakovsky) wrote several poems for children. One of them is called “What Is Good and What Is Bad.” On the Internet, I found two translations of it into English but will quote my own version of the opening lines:

“Once a boy approached his dad,

And he asked his parent:

‘Something isn’t quite apparent:

What is good, and what is bad?’”

A long series of answers follows, but, predictably, none of them deals with etymology, so that I think I should stop here. 

_{Featured image: Runestone U 240, Vallentuna by Berig via Wikimedia Commons.}

Good does not come from God, but probably from Old English gōd, which is not the same. Before 900; Middle English (adj., adv., and noun); Old English gōd (adj.); cognate with Dutch goed, German gut, Old Norse gōthr, Gothic goths. The first hand-written English language Bible manuscripts were produced in the 1380’s by Wycliffe from the Latin Vulgate, so you can draw your own conclusions. (et vidit Deus lucem quod esset bona et divisit lucem ac tenebras: And God saw the light, that it was good: and divided the light from the darkness. Gen 1:4) The word God comes from the IndoEuropean root gal- «to call out.^[1] However, ProtoSemetic root found in Hebrew was there as such in Proto-Semitic «*ח ד ה , GH D H (accentuated vowel)». I don’t know if that is significant. Many religions have malevolent gods as well as good ones.

Good: from Old English gōd (with a long «o») «virtuous; desirable; valid; considerable,» probably originally «having the right or desirable quality,» from Proto-Germanic *gothaz (cognates: Old Norse goðr, Dutch goed, Old High German guot, German gut, Gothic goþs), originally «fit, adequate, belonging together,» from PIE root *ghedh- «to unite, be associated, suitable» (cognates: Old Church Slavonic godu «pleasing time,» Russian godnyi «fit, suitable,» Old English gædrian «to gather, to take up together»). As an expression of satisfaction, from early 15c.; of children, «well-behaved,» by 1690s. — Etymonline

The alleged Indo-European “root” of «good» is ghedh (to unite, join, fit). That which is united is «good». according to the Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, Gothic goþs meant «good, kind, beautiful», but gives no date.

If I had the OED, I might be able to do more.

_{[1] Wondering about Words: D’où viennent les mots anglais ? by Judith Andreyev}

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: go͝od, IPA^(key): /ɡʊd/
• (General American, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ɡʊd/, [ɡʊ̈d], [ɡɪ̈d]
• (AAVE) enPR: go͝o(d), IPA^(key): /ɡʊ(d)/
• Rhymes: -ʊd

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English good, from Old English gōd, from Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to unite, be associated, suit”). Cognate with Russian го́дный (gódnyj, “fit, well-suited, good for; (coll.) good”), год (god), «year», via «suitable time». Not related to the word god.

Alternative forms[edit]

• g’d (poetic contraction)
• goode (obsolete)

Adjective[edit]

good (comparative better, superlative best)

1. (of people)
   1. Acting in the interest of what is beneficial, ethical, or moral.

      good intentions

      • 1460-1500, The Towneley Playsː

        It is not good to be alone, to walk here in this worthly wone.

      • 1500?, Evil Tonguesː

        If any man would begin his sins to reny, or any good people that frae vice deed rest ain. What so ever he were that to virtue would apply, But an ill tongue will all overthrow again.

      • 1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter 6, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.; Melbourne, Vic.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC:

        When we are happy, we are always good, but when we are good, we are not always happy.

   2. Competent or talented.

      a good swimmer

      • 1704, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached on Several Occasions, On the nature and measure of conscience:

        Flatter him it may, I confess, (as those are generally good at flattering who are good for nothing else,) but in the meantime the poor man is left under the fatal necessity of a needless delusion

      • 1922, Michael Arlen, “3/19/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:

        Ivor had acquired more than a mile of fishing rights with the house ; he was not at all a good fisherman, but one must do something ; one generally, however, banged a ball with a squash-racket against a wall.

      • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

        And Marsha says I am a good cook!

   3. Able to be depended on for the discharge of obligations incurred; of unimpaired credit; used with for.

      Can you lend me fifty dollars? You know I’m good for it.

   4. Well-behaved (especially of children or animals).

      Be good while your mother and I are out.

      Were you a good boy for the babysitter?

   5. (US) Satisfied or at ease; not requiring more.

      Would you like a glass of water? — I’m good.

      [Are] you good? — Yeah, I’m fine.

      Gimme another beer! — I think you’re good.

   6. (colloquial, with with) Accepting of, OK with

      My mother said she’s good with me being alone with my date as long as she’s met them first.

      The soup is rather spicy. Are you good with that, or would you like something else?

   7. (archaic) Of high rank or birth.

      • 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 23, column 1–2:

        Thou art a Traitor, and a Miſcreant;
        Too good to be ſo, and too bad to liue,
        Since the more faire and chriſtall is the skie,
        The vglier ſeeme the cloudes that in it flye:

2. (of capabilities)
   1. Useful for a particular purpose; functional.

      it’s a good watch;  the flashlight batteries are still good

      • 1526, Herballː

        Against cough and scarceness of breath caused of cold take the drink that it hath been sodden in with Liquorice[,] or that the powder hath been sodden in with dry figs[,] for the same the electuary called dyacalamentum is good[,] and it is made thus.

      • 2013 May-June, David Van Tassel, Lee DeHaan, “Wild Plants to the Rescue”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:

        Plant breeding is always a numbers game. […] The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, […]. In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better. These rarities may be new mutations, or they can be existing ones that are neutral—or are even selected against—in a wild population. A good example is mutations that disrupt seed dispersal, leaving the seeds on the heads long after they are ripe.

   2. Effective.

      a good worker

      • 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091:

        There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger’s weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.

   3. (obsolete) Real; actual; serious.

      in good sooth

      • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

        Love no man in good earnest.

3. (properties and qualities)
   1. (of food)
      1. Having a particularly pleasant taste.

         The food was very good.

         • c. 1430 (reprinted 1888), Thomas Austin, ed., Two Fifteenth-century Cookery-books. Harleian ms. 279 (ab. 1430), & Harl. ms. 4016 (ab. 1450), with Extracts from Ashmole ms. 1429, Laud ms. 553, & Douce ms. 55 [Early English Text Society, Original Series; 91], London: N. Trübner & Co. for the Early English Text Society, volume I, OCLC 374760, page 11:

           Soupes dorye. — Take gode almaunde mylke […] caste þher-to Safroun an Salt […]

         • 1962 (quoting 1381 text), Hans Kurath & Sherman M. Kuhn, eds., Middle English Dictionary, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press, ISBN 978-0-472-01044-8, page 1242:

           dorrẹ̅, dōrī adj. & n. […] cook. glazed with a yellow substance; pome(s ~, sopes ~. […] 1381 Pegge Cook. Recipes page 114: For to make Soupys dorry. Nym onyons […] Nym wyn […] toste wyte bred and do yt in dischis, and god Almande mylk.

      2. Being satisfying; meeting dietary requirements.

         Eat a good dinner so you will be ready for the big game tomorrow.

   2. Of food or other perishable products, still fit for use; not yet expired, stale, rotten, etc.

      The bread is still good.

   3. Valid, of worth, capable of being honoured.

      This coupon is good for a free doughnut.

   4. True, valid, of explanatory strength.

      This theory still holds good even if much higher temperatures are assumed.

   5. Healthful.

      Exercise and a varied diet are good for you.

   6. Pleasant; enjoyable.

      We had a good time.

   7. Favourable.

      a good omen;  good weather

   8. Unblemished; honourable.

      a person’s good name

   9. Beneficial; worthwhile.

      a good job

      • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

        Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part. […] Next day she […] tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head. Then, thwarted, the wretched creature went to the police for help; she was versed in the law, and had perhaps spared no pains to keep on good terms with the local constabulary.

   10. Adequate; sufficient; not fallacious.

       • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

         My reasons are both good and weighty.

       • 1966, K. Rothfels; Margaret Freeman, “The salivary gland chromosomes of three North American species of Twinnia (Diptera: Simuliidae)”, in Canadian Journal of Zoology, volume 44, number 5, →DOI:

         Twinnia biclavata differs from T. nova by inversion IS-1 and a nucleolar shift. Both are good species.

4. (colloquial, when with and) Very, extremely. See good and.

   The soup is good and hot.

5. (colloquial) Ready

   I’m good when you are.

6. Holy (especially when capitalized) .

7. (of quantities)
   1. Reasonable in amount.

      all in good time

   2. Large in amount or size.

      a good while longer;  a good number of seeds;  A good part of his day was spent shopping.  It will be a good while longer until he’s done.  He’s had a good amount of troubles, he has.

      • The big houses, and there are a good many of them, lie for the most part in what may be called by courtesy the valleys. You catch a glimpse of them sometimes at a little distance from the [railway] line, which seems to have shown some ingenuity in avoiding them, […].

   3. Full; entire; at least as much as.

      This hill will take a good hour and a half to climb.  The car was a good ten miles away.

      • 1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 16:

        Athelstan Arundel walked home all the way, foaming and raging. No omnibus, cab, or conveyance ever built could contain a young man in such a rage. His mother lived at Pembridge Square, which is four good measured miles from Lincoln’s Inn.

Usage notes[edit]

The comparative gooder and superlative goodest are nonstandard.
In informal (often jocular) contexts, best may be inflected further and given the comparative bester and the superlative bestest; these forms are also nonstandard.

Synonyms[edit]

• (having positive attributes): not bad, all right, satisfactory, decent, see also Thesaurus:good
• (healthful): well
• (competent or talented): accomplished
• (acting in the interest of good; ethical): See Thesaurus:goodness

Antonyms[edit]

• (having positive attributes): bad, poor
• (ethical): bad, evil

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Interjection[edit]

good

1. That is good; an elliptical exclamation of satisfaction or commendation.

   Good! I can leave now.

Translations[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English goode (“good, well”, adverb), from the adjective. Compare Dutch goed (“good, well”, adverb), German gut (“good, well”, adverb), Danish godt (“good, well”, adverb), Swedish godt (“good, well”, adverb), all from the adjective.

Adverb[edit]

good (comparative better, superlative best)

1. (nonstandard) Well; satisfactorily or thoroughly.

   The boy done good. (did well)

   • 1906, Zane Grey, The Spirit of the Border: A Romance of the Early Settlers in the Ohio Valley:

     If Silvertip refuses to give you the horse, grab him before he can draw a weapon, and beat him good. You’re big enough to do it.

   • 1970, Troy Conway, The Cunning Linguist, London: Flamingo Books, page 66:

     I kept my eyes peeled for signs of pursuit. There was none, unless I was being fooled very good.

   • 1972, Harry Chapin (lyrics and music), “A Better Place to Be”, in Sniper and Other Love Songs:

     She said, «I don’t want to bother you / Consider it’s understood / I know I’m not no beauty queen / But I sure can listen good.»

   • 2007 April 19, Jimmy Wales, “Jimmy Wales on the User-Generated Generation”, Fresh Air, WHYY, Pennsylvania [1]

     The one thing that we can’t do…is throw out the baby with the bathwater.… We know our process works pretty darn good and, uh, it’s really sparked this amazing phenomenon of this…high-quality website.

Derived terms[edit]

• but good
• a good many

Etymology 3[edit]

From Middle English good, god, from Old English gōd (“a good thing, advantage, benefit, gift; good, goodness, welfare; virtue, ability, doughtiness; goods, property, wealth”), from Proto-Germanic *gōdą (“goods, belongings”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ-, *gʰodʰ- (“to unite, be associated, suit”). Compare German Gut (“item of merchandise; estate; property”).

Noun[edit]

good (countable and uncountable, plural goods)

1. (uncountable) The forces or behaviours that are the enemy of evil. Usually consists of helping others and general benevolence.

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them. Soft heartedness caused more harm than good.

   Antonyms: bad, evil

2. (countable) A result that is positive in the view of the speaker.

   Antonym: bad

3. (uncountable) The abstract instantiation of goodness; that which possesses desirable qualities, promotes success, welfare, or happiness, is serviceable, fit, excellent, kind, benevolent, etc.

   The best is the enemy of the good.

   He is an influence for good on those girls.

   • There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

   • 1788, John Jay, The Federalist Papers No. 64:

     […] the government must be a weak one indeed, if it should forget that the good of the whole can only be promoted by advancing the good of each of the parts or members which compose the whole.

4. (countable, usually in the plural) An item of merchandise.

   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

     Thy lands and goods / Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate / Unto the state of Venice.

Derived terms[edit]

• (item of merchandise): capital goods, consumer goods

Translations[edit]

Etymology 4[edit]

From Middle English goden, godien, from Old English gōdian (“to improve, get better; make better; endow, enrich”), from Proto-West Germanic *gōdōn (“to make better, improve”), from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz (“good, favourable”).

Verb[edit]

good (third-person singular simple present goods, present participle gooding, simple past and past participle gooded) (now chiefly dialectal)

1. (intransitive, now) To thrive; fatten; prosper; improve.
2. (transitive) To make good; turn to good; improve.
3. (intransitive) To make improvements or repairs.
4. (intransitive) To benefit; gain.
5. (transitive) To do good to (someone); benefit; cause to improve or gain.
6. (transitive) To satisfy; indulge; gratify.
7. (reflexive) To flatter; congratulate oneself; anticipate.

Derived terms[edit]

• gooding

Etymology 5[edit]

From English dialectal, from Middle English *goden, of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish göda (“to fatten, fertilise, battle”), Danish gøde (“to fertilise, battle”), ultimately from the adjective. See above.

Verb[edit]

good (third-person singular simple present goods, present participle gooding, simple past and past participle gooded)

1. (transitive, now chiefly dialectal, Scotland) To furnish with dung; manure; fatten with manure; fertilise.
   • April 5 1628, Bishop Joseph Hall, The Blessings, Sins, and Judgments of God’s Vineyard

     Nature was like itself , in it , in the world : God hath taken it in from the barren downs , and gooded it : his choice did not find , but make it thus

Derived terms[edit]

• goodening

Further reading[edit]

• good at OneLook Dictionary Search
• “good”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• good in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Dutch Low Saxon[edit]

Adjective[edit]

good

1. good

Limburgish[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• gott (Eupen)
• joot (Krefeld)

Etymology[edit]

From Middle Dutch goet.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): [ʝoː˦d], [ʝoː˦t]

Adjective[edit]

good (comparative baeter, superlative bès, predicative superlative ‘t ‘t bès)

1. good

Inflection[edit]

Middle English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• god, gode, goed, gude

Etymology[edit]

From Old English gōd, from Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ɡoːd/
• Rhymes: -oːd

Adjective[edit]

good (plural and weak singular gode, comparative bettre, superlative best)

1. good (of good quality or behaviour)
2. good (morally right or righteous)
   • 14th c., Chaucer, General Prologue:

     and certeinly he was a good felawe

     and certainly he was a good fellow

3. advantageous, wealthy, profitable, useful
4. large; of a great size or quantity
5. Having a great degree or extent.

[edit]

• goderhele
• goodles
• goodnesse

Descendants[edit]

• English: good
• Scots: guid
• Yola: gooude, gude, gayde

References[edit]

• “gọ̄d, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-17.