different between dolt vs nitwit

English

Etymology

First used as a noun in Early Modern English, from dialectal English dold (“stupid, confused”), from Middle English dold, a variant of dulled, dult (“dulled”), past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make dull, make stupid”), from dull, dul, dwal (“stupid”). More at dull.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d?lt/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d??lt/, /d??lt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /do?lt/
• Rhymes: -??lt

Noun

dolt (plural dolts)

1. (derogatory) A stupid person; a blockhead or dullard.
   • c. 1603, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice

     O gull! O dolt! As ignorant as dirt!

   • 1627, Michael Drayton, Nimphidia, the Court of Faery

     This Puck seemes but a dreaming dolt.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:fool

Derived terms

• doltery
• doltish

Translations

Verb

dolt (third-person singular simple present dolts, present participle dolting, simple past and past participle dolted)

1. (obsolete) To behave foolishly.

Anagrams

• told

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?lt/
• Rhymes: -?lt

Verb

dolt

1. second- and third-person singular present indicative of dollen
2. (archaic) plural imperative of dollen

Manx

Verb

dolt (verbal noun doltey, past participle doltit)

1. to adopt, foster, initiate

Synonyms

• (to foster): doltaghey

Swedish

Adjective

dolt

1. absolute indefinite neuter form of dold.

Verb

dolt

1. supine of dölja.

English

Etymology

First attested in the 1910s in the US Northeast. Likely from German nit, dialectal form of nichts (“nothing”), or Yiddish ???? (nit), dialectal form of ????? (nisht, “no”), although some dictionaries give the alternative etymology nit (“louse egg; something very small”) +? wit.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?n?tw?t/

Noun

nitwit (plural nitwits)

1. (informal) A scatterbrained or stupid person.
   • 1918, State Bar Association of Connecticut, Annual Report, page 82

     If you don't remember you are a nitwit. If you do answer, well, you know what the penalty is for perjury.

   • 1921, Emmett Campbell Hall, "Need a Hero be a Nitwit?", The Editor, page 58

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:fool

Translations