dimwit

American  

[dim-wit] / ˈdɪmˌwɪt /

noun

Slang.

1. a stupid or slow-thinking person.

   Synonyms:

   dumbbell, booby, numbskull, nitwit, dummy

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dimwit British  

/ ˈdɪmˌwɪt /

noun

1. informal a stupid or silly person

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Other Word Forms

• dim-witted
  adjective
• dim-wittedly
  adverb
• dim-wittedness
  noun
• dimwitted
  adjective
• dimwittedly
  adverb
• dimwittedness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dimwit

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; dim + wit ¹

Explanation

A dimwit is a person who's not very smart. If you catch your friend sending a text message while he's driving, you can yell at him to put his phone down and call him a dimwit. No one wants to be called a dimwit, since it implies incompetence and a low IQ — it's important to use this word carefully to avoid offending someone. Still, when your brother leaves a pizza unattended in a room with his two big dogs, you'll probably have to say, "Well of course they ate it, you dimwit." The word was coined in the US, as 1920s college slang.

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