Sillicus

English

Etymology

From silly + -cus, jokingly modelled after Latin names ending in -us.

Proper noun

Sillicus

1. (dated, humorous, 1890s – early 20th century US) An archetypal character in the setting of a joke, typically portraited as naive and somewhat dull-witted.
   • 1890, The Harvard Lampoon, Vol. 21‎^[1], page 39:

     No, Sillicus, farmers do not include chickens when speaking of their crops, or of their coups.

   • 1896, The Outlook, Vol. 53‎^[2], page 1025:

     Hoax—Does Sillicus know anything about music?
     Joax—No; he doesn't know the difference between a string orchestra and a rubber band.

   • 1906, Thomas A. Brown, Thomas Joseph Carey, The New Pun Book‎^[3]:

     Sillicus—Do you think we shall know each other in the hereafter?
     Cynicus—I hope so. Few of us really know each other here.

   • 1912, Life, Vol. 60‎^[4], page 2044:

     Sillicus: There is honor among thieves.
     Cynicus: Nonsense! Thieves are just as bad as other people.

Related terms

• Cynicus