Nulpe

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German

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Etymology

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Uncertain, perhaps influenced by Null (zero).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈnʊlpə/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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Nulpe f (genitive Nulpe, plural Nulpen)

  1. (somewhat dated, derogatory) fool, nitwit
    Synonyms: Depp, Dummkopf, Versager
    • 1918, Heinrich Mann, Der Untertan[1], Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, page 375:
      Aber der König! Er konnte nicht wegfinden von dem Brautpaar, biederte sich an und schien am liebsten als Zuschauer dableiben zu wollen. Diederich, dem der König schon immer zu konziliant gewesen war für diese harte Zeit, nannte ihn jetzt einfach eine Nulpe.
      But the king! He couldn't get away from the bride and groom, he was ingratiating himself and seemed to prefer to stick around as a spectator. Diederich, for whom the king had always been too accommodating for these hard times, now simply termed him a dope.

Declension

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Further reading

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