wing nut

American  

Or wingnut

noun

1. a nut having two flat, widely projecting pieces such that it can be readily tightened with the thumb and forefinger.

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wing nut British  

noun

1. Also called: butterfly nut.  a threaded nut tightened by hand by means of two flat lugs or wings projecting from the central body

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Usage

What does wing nut mean? Wing nut is an insulting slang term for a person who’s considered eccentric or who has extreme political views.In a completely different context, wing nut is also a term for a nut (a piece of usually metal hardware that attaches to a bolt) with two tabs on its sides that kind of look like wings. The “wings” make turning the nut by hand easier when it’s being attached to a bolt. It’s also called a butterfly nut (because of the “wings”) or a thumbnut (because it can be easily turned with the thumb and forefinger).[caption id="attachment_154442" align="alignnone" width="300"] Getty / Jill Ferry[/caption]Both senses of the word can also be spelled wingnut and wing-nut.The only connection between the two senses of the word is probably the word nut, which can be used to refer to a person considered eccentric (someone who is nutty). However, nut can also be used as a negative slang term for a person who is mentally ill, and wing nut can also imply this. Keep in mind that when used in this way, these terms may reinforce harmful stereotypes and associations with mental illness.Example: Every local government meeting has a few wing nuts who show up to spout off conspiracy theories during the public comment session. 

Etymology

Origin of wing nut

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Indeed, as the subject of thousands of wing nut conspiracy theories, Clinton may already be the most fictionalized person in modern political history.

From Washington Post

"Let's not give either an evil racist force or a lunatic left wing nut any satisfaction by turning on one another in the wake of these heinous acts of domestic terror," she said.

From Fox News

Two of the steps require the clumsy manipulation of those fiddly wing nuts and hinges.

From The Verge

The movie I always looked at as the gold standard, that split that difference so beautifully, was “Patton,” because if you think Patton was a wing nut, he’s a wing nut in that movie.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The left calls me a wing nut or a knuckle-dragging conservative, and you know what? I say, bring it on,” she says in a campaign kickoff ad, describing herself as “a hard-core, card-carrying conservative.”

From Washington Post