ninny

American  

[nin-ee] / ˈnɪn i /

noun

plural

ninnies

1. a fool or simpleton.

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ninny British  

/ ˈnɪnɪ /

noun

1. a dull-witted person

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Other Word Forms

• ninnyish adjective

Etymology

Origin of ninny

1585–95; perhaps generic use of pet form of Innocent proper name; -y ²

Example Sentences

Jane Austen wrote takedowns of this kind of ninny two centuries ago — how fun to see Pike update her twit to the post-Y2K era.

From Los Angeles Times

“No! Oh, you pack of ninnies! Great heroes! I knew I should have gone with you from the beginning.”

From Literature

You know that feeling of dread you get during musicals, where the plot screeches to a halt so that some ninny can sing about their feelings?

From The Guardian

So, although the fact that there are a significant number of ninnies among the 329 million people in this country is embarrassing, it is not surprising.

From Washington Post

“Don’t stand there like ninnies. Speak up. Say what must be said. Or, or—” Her voice dwindled and she began to fidget with her pearls again.

From Literature