What is a booby prize?

Booby prizes are sometimes jokingly coveted as an object of pride. Booby prizes may also be given as consolation prizes to all non-placing participants of a competition. The word "boob" stems from the Spanish bobo meaning silly, which in turn came from the Latin balbus meaning stammering; the word booby to mean dunce appeared in 1599.

What is the difference between a booby prize and aprons?

When all are done the aprons are handed to the judges for inspection, and after their decision the prizes are awarded. Matchsafes, scarfpins, etc. are the proper thing for the first and second prizes, while the booby prize is usually a treatise on embroidery or something equally interesting to the masculine mind.

Is booby a nincompoop?

This booby is neither of those. The word has been used to mean dunce or nincompoop since at least the late 16th century and that's the 'booby' of 'booby prize' and ' booby trap '. The word probably derives from the Spanish word 'bobo' meaning 'fool' or 'dunce'.

Where did the word booby come from?

The word "boob" stems from the Spanish bobo meaning silly, which in turn came from the Latin balbus meaning stammering; the word booby to mean dunce appeared in 1599. Booby prize literally means "idiot's prize". The OED dates this usage to 1893. Booby trap and "booby hatch" are related terms.