nincompoop
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nincompoop
First recorded in 1670–80; origin uncertain
Explanation
Calling someone a nincompoop is like calling them a fool, idiot, bonehead, or dope. It's definitely not a compliment. Nincompoop is a silly-sounding word that's also kind of old-fashioned, like ninny. No one has any solid idea where it came from, and anyone who claims otherwise is, well, a nincompoop. By definition, nincompoops are dumb, foolish, and can't do anything right. But there are far worse things you could call someone who's behaving like an idiot. Maybe this old-timey insult deserves a revival?
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tom was of course not a nincompoop, but a serious, thoughtful person who hungered to add substance to sketch comedy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2023
And was it enough to let us stop calling him a nincompoop?
From Slate ● Dec. 11, 2019
Pretty soon the goal is sinking each other, proving once and for all that the other person is a complete nincompoop.
From Salon ● Jan. 6, 2017
Freedom from nincompoop bosses giving me warnings for insubordination.
From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2016
Andrew wasn’t a nincompoop, as you will very soon see.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
