Poindexter
Americannoun
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Poindexters
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Explanation
The word poindexter is a playful — but not the most flattering — term for someone who's highly intelligent or academically gifted but socially awkward. The word poindexter comes from the name of a nerdy cartoon character in the 1950s TV show Felix the Cat. With his thick glasses and studious demeanor, Poindexter — the genius scientist and good friend of Felix — became a symbol for the combination of high intelligence and low social skills. Today, the term is often used teasingly to describe someone who excels in academics but finds social interactions more challenging.
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.
See Examples For:
Miller’s district favors the GOP, yet recent polls show him trailing his Democratic opponent, a city councilor and ironworker named Brian Poindexter.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
He was referring to Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte, who died while in office in 2013.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2023
For Carlos Poindexter, who grew up in Fairfax County, the Capital Classic will always be associated with Mike Bibby, who took part in the 1996 game.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 27, 2023
Reagan’s national security adviser, John Poindexter, resigned and an aide, Lt.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 30, 2023
Though he was looking friendly when he said this I kind of knew it had to be teasing, because whoever heard of anybody’s momma giving them a name like Poindexter?
From "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis
Now, studious and stressed-out college students wouldn’t normally draw my ire, except these Poindexters reveled in their misery.
From Time ● Jan. 27, 2015
You'd think these pocket-protected Poindexters would have been busy enough with the 918 Spyder, one of the fastest and most complicated hybrid supercars in the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2014
She wants to know if her friends the Poindexters gave you two a gift as expensive as the one she gave to their kid.
From Slate ● Mar. 25, 2013
Eager to please, President Leguia ordered Senor Gonzalez-Prada to return Cornelius to the Poindexters.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Poindexters had been much impoverished by the excesses of David's father and grandfather, and David seems to have had few or no resources beyond the very modest stipend appertaining to his position.
From David Poindexter's Disappearance, and Other Tales by Julian Hawthorne
Definitions 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.
