nitwit

[ nit-wit ]

noun

1. a slow-witted, stupid, or foolish person.

   Synonyms: booby, dunce, dolt, blockhead, fool

nitwit

/ ˈnɪtˌwɪt /

noun

1. informal.
   a foolish person

Word History and Origins

Origin of nitwit¹

First recorded in 1920–25; nit (from German; dialectal variant of nicht “not”) + wit ¹ (in the sense of “intelligence”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of nitwit¹

C20: perhaps from nit ¹+ wit ¹

Example Sentences

Trump hasn't been as thoroughly exposed as Giuliani to be a grasping nitwit.

From Salon

Mr. Walker also wrote on the shop’s website by March 25, 2021, that “yes we accept pennies as payment! They are cash you nitwits!,” which was ruled to be retaliatory harassment of Mr. Flaten.

From Washington Times

Dasch wasn't impressed with many of them, calling them "a bunch of nitwits."

From Literature

“Maybe that’s why the movie is so popular. Because here’s a mastermind fighting a nitwit.”

From Los Angeles Times

I asked him to mask up and enlisted a flight attendant, but I settled for 11 hours next to a nitwit rule-breaking anti-masker.

From Los Angeles Times