numskull

English

Alternative forms

• numbskull

Etymology

From numb (“deadened”) +‎ skull.

Noun

numskull (plural numskulls)

1. (derogatory) A dunce, mentally dull or stupid person.
2. (derogatory) A person who refuses to learn or grow mentally.

   That numskull will never learn how to compose a letter.

Synonyms

• airhead
• bubblehead
• thickhead
• See also Thesaurus:fool
• See also Thesaurus:idiot

Derived terms

• numpty, numptie
• numskullery

Translations

mentally dull or stupid person

• Bulgarian: дървеняк (bg) m (dǎrvenjak)
• Danish: tossehoved n
• Dutch: leeghoofd (nl) n
• Finnish: pölkkypää (fi)
• German: taube Nuss (de) f
• Latin: gurdus m
• Maori: poroheahea, wawau, pōrewarewa, ngoungoua
• Ottoman Turkish: طوی (toy)
• Portuguese: cabeça oca f
• Spanish: hueca cabeza f, cabeza hueca (es) f
• Swedish: knäppskalle (sv) c

References

• “numskull” in Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary: Based on Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, 7th edition, Springfield, Mass.: G[eorge] & C[harles] Merriam, 1963 (1967 printing), →OCLC.