goody-goody

the term 'goody-goody' is a modern english reduplication, emerging in the late 19th century. it builds upon the earlier noun 'goody', a term of address for a respectable woman of humble status, derived from the adjective 'good'. the process of reduplication, common in english for creating informal or childish expressions (e.g., 'super-duper', 'easy-peasy'), here functions to convey a sense of excessive, affected, or insincere goodness. thus, 'goody-goody' shifts from a neutral or respectful label for a person to a critical descriptor for someone whose virtuous behavior is perceived as cloying or self-righteous.

this is a reduplicative compound formed by repeating the word 'goody'. 'goody' itself is a diminutive or familiar form of 'good', originating from middle english 'gody', meaning 'good man or woman'. the reduplication serves to intensify and often mock the quality.