different between nincompoop vs blockhead

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain; the first element nincom- is possibly from the name Nicholas or Nicodemus (compare French nicodème (“foolish or gullible person”), from the Pharisee named Nicodemus mentioned in the Bible who asks Jesus seemingly naive questions: see John 3:1–21), or from ninny (“foolish or silly person”), while the second element -poop could be derived from poop (“(obsolete) to cheat, deceive, fool”). The English lexicographer Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) suggested that the first element might be from Latin non compos (mentis) (“not of sound mind”), but the Oxford English Dictionary notes that this does not correspond with early forms of the word from the 16th century such as nickumpoop and nicompoop.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n??k?mpu?p/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n??k?m?pup/, /?n?n-/
• Hyphenation: nin?com?poop

Noun

nincompoop (plural nincompoops)

1. (derogatory) A foolish or silly person. [from 16th c.]

   Synonyms: dunderhead, fool, imbecile, nitwit, gaby, hammerhead; see also Thesaurus:fool

Alternative forms

• nickumpoop, nicompoop, nincumpoop (obsolete)

Derived terms

• nincompoopish
• nincompoopism
• nincompoopery

Translations

References

English

Alternative forms

• block head, block-head

Etymology

1549, block (“n.”) +? head.

Pronunciation

Noun

blockhead (plural blockheads)

1. (colloquial) A stupid person.
2. A sideshow performer who hammers nails or similar items through his or her nostril into the nasal cavity; human blockhead.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:idiot

Derived terms

• blockheaded
• blockheadess

Translations

Verb

blockhead (third-person singular simple present blockheads, present participle blockheading, simple past and past participle blockheaded)

1. To perform as a human blockhead.
2. (rare) To behave in a stupid manner.

Anagrams

• headblock