noun
goldilocks
GOHL-dee-loks
noun
1
Someone, especially a girl, with long golden hair.
"Her curls earned her the nickname Goldilocks at school."
2
A situation, condition, or amount that is exactly right — not too much and not too little.
"Economists call low unemployment with low inflation a "Goldilocks economy.""
"They were looking for a Goldilocks planet — not too hot, not too cold, just right for life."
How to Use Goldilocks
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed today mainly as an adjective-like label for something that hits the perfect middle ground between two extremes.
Memory tip
You'll see it most in phrases like "Goldilocks zone" or "Goldilocks economy" — always pointing at that just-right sweet spot.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
Goldilocks zone
Goldilocks economy
Goldilocks conditions
Word Forms
goldilocks plural
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Her curls earned her the nickname _____ at school.
Etymology
From the fairy tale character Goldilocks, the golden-haired girl who breaks into the three bears' house and finds one bowl of porridge too hot, one too cold, and one "just right."