rum-dum

American

[ruhm-duhm] / ˈrʌmˌdʌm /

Also rum-dumb

Or rum-dumm

noun

Disparaging and Offensive.

a stupid or ignorant person.
a habitual drinker of alcohol who is frequently intoxicated.

adjective

stupid; ignorant.
of, related to, or arising from habitual drunkenness; addled by intoxicating drinks.

Etymology

Origin of rum-dum

First recorded in 1890–95; rhyming compound with rum ¹ and dumb, perhaps influenced in sense by humdrum

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.

It was just a simple, basic rhythm—DRUM-dum, RUM- dum, DRUM-bop-bop; DRUM-dum, RUM-dum, DRUM-bop- bop—over and over again.

From Literature

Stams was told that Barry Alvarez, the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, raised his hand and said, “I’ll take the rum-dum.”

From New York Times

He wasn't much of a man—Ben Cameron—weak-eyed, rum-dum—poor too.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023