nitwit
English
Etymology
First attested in the 1910s in the US Northeast. Likely from GermanCategory:English terms derived from German#NITWIT nitCategory:English undefined derivations#NITWIT, dialect form of nichts (“nothing”), or YiddishCategory:English terms derived from Yiddish#NITWIT ניט (nit)Category:English undefined derivations#NITWIT, dialect form of נישט (nisht, “no”), although some dictionaries give the alternative etymology nit (“louse egg; something very small”) + witCategory:English compound terms#NITWIT.
Pronunciation
Noun
nitwit (plural nitwits)Category:English lemmas#NITWITCategory:English nouns#NITWITCategory:English countable nouns#NITWITCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#NITWITCategory:Pages with entries#NITWITCategory:Pages with 1 entry#NITWIT
- (informalCategory:English informal terms#NITWIT) A scatterbrained or stupid person.
- 1918, State Bar Association of Connecticut, Annual Report, page 82:
- If you don't remember you are a nitwit. If you do answer, well, you know what the penalty is for perjury.Category:English terms with quotations#NITWIT
- 1921, Emmett Campbell Hall, “Need a Hero be a Nitwit?”, in The Editor, page 58:Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
- 1922, Nina Wilcox Putnam, Laughter Inc:
- "Don't be a nitwit, honey!" says Adele. "Here, let me open the door! Ma be I did leave them lights on, though it ain't ike me!"Category:English terms with quotations#NITWIT
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:fool