the.com/goodie

A treat so small its name needed the extra syllable to feel generous.

means A small treat or desirable item, often used for snacks or rewards — it can also mean a virtuous (sometimes annoyingly so) person, or the hero in a story.

from Built from 'good' plus the affectionate '-ie/-y' suffix English loves to tack onto small, cherished things (think 'doggie,' 'auntie'). That diminutive ending softens the word and makes it feel cozy rather than merely positive. 'Goodies' as treats or sweets shows up by the 18th-19th century, while 'goodie' meaning a righteous or self-righteously virtuous person, and later the 'good guy' in films and stories (as opposed to the 'baddie'), developed alongside it — same cheerful suffix, different flavor of good.

origin
informal shortening-plus-suffix coined 19th century
usage shift
now means hero in old western films, goodie vs baddie
plural form
goodies, almost always wanted in bulk
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