nitwit

[ nit-wit ]

noun

1. a slow-witted, stupid, or foolish person.

   Synonyms: booby, dunce, dolt, blockhead, fool

nitwit

/ ˈnɪtˌwɪt /

noun

1. informal.
   a foolish person

Word History and Origins

Origin of nitwit¹

First recorded in 1920–25; nit (from German; dialectal variant of nicht “not”) + wit ¹ (in the sense of “intelligence”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of nitwit¹

C20: perhaps from nit ¹+ wit ¹

Example Sentences

Under our current nitwit sequester policy, government cutbacks continued to drag down growth.

From The Daily Beast