What it means
A nincompoop is a harmless fool, a silly goose who blunders about getting the simplest things wrong. It is an old, slightly theatrical insult, the sort a flustered parent or a Victorian schoolmaster might splutter. More daft than malicious, it lands soft, almost fond, like calling someone a great big wally.
Usage examples
"Which nincompoop parked across two spaces and then left the hazard lights blinking all afternoon?"
"I felt a right nincompoop turning up a whole day early for the appointment, suit and all."
"Some nincompoop left the freezer door open all weekend and now everything in it is a soggy mess."
"You absolute nincompoop, you brought the takeaway home and left the drinks on the bus."
"Only a proper nincompoop would mute himself and then spend ten minutes giving the big presentation."
Where it comes from
It’s been around in English since the 17th century. The exact route is still murky, but it’s widely linked to the legal Latin phrase non compos mentis, meaning not of sound mind. Over time, English tongues seem to have bent that stiff courtroom bit into this puffed-up, comic insult for a fool.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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