airhead

¹ American  

[air-hed] / ˈɛərˌhɛd /

noun

1. Slang. a scatterbrained, stupid, or simple-minded person; dolt.

   Even though she's crazy about surfing, she's not the bikini-babe airhead you might think.

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airhead ² American  

[air-hed] / ˈɛərˌhɛd /

noun

1. an area in enemy territory or in threatened friendly territory, seized by airborne troops for bringing in supplies and additional troops by airdrop or landing.

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airhead ¹ British  

/ ˈɛəˌhɛd /

noun

1. military an area secured in hostile territory, used as a base for the supply and evacuation of troops and equipment by air

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airhead ² British  

/ ˈɛəˌhɛd /

noun

1. slang a stupid or simple-minded person; idiot

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Other Word Forms

• airheaded
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of airhead¹

First recorded probably earlier than 1975–80; air ¹ + head

Origin of airhead²

air ¹ + (beach)head

Explanation

An airhead is a silly, foolish person. If your friend spends fifteen minutes searching for her lost sunglasses, only to find them on top of her head, you can call her an airhead. While the most popular meaning of airhead is "scatterbrain" or "dingbat," the formal definition of this noun is quite different. Airhead is a military term for a base inside hostile territory where supplies and troops can be kept, and from where soldiers can more safely fly in and out of the area. This 1950s-era meaning comes from the form of the military term beachhead — the slang term is from the 1970s.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

airhead

And in the second act, he has a crucial existential colloquy with Marianne, Rachel Bay Jones’ wealthy airhead, who reveals a surprising amount of depth in a philosophical back and forth with her uncertain confessor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2023

The score thrums with the power chords of enlightenment and, in a grace note, Fellner’s supposed airhead lands the script’s most insightful line: “Real love is to be at peace with flawed love.”

From New York Times ● Jan. 26, 2023

To infer from all this that he is a delightful airhead, however, would be a mistake.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 3, 2018

Soon Ryan Lochte will disappear back into his airhead oblivion.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2016

Edie might not be an airhead, but she is definitely full of herself.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

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