numskull

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

numb (“deadened”) +‎ skull

Noun

numskull (plural numskulls)

  1. (pejorative) A dunce, mentally dull or stupid person.
  2. (pejorative) A person who refuses to learn or grow mentally.
    That numskull will never learn how to compose a letter.
  3. A traditional name for a fool who serves as the butt of jokes about stupidity.

Usage notes

Numskull is often capitalized as the fictitious name of the traditional fictional butt of jokes.

Synonyms

  • See also Thesaurus:fool

Derived terms

References

  • Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
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