different between nincompoop vs ninnyhammer

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

Noun

ninnyhammer (plural ninnyhammers)

1. a foolish person; a simpleton
   • 1608, A Yorkshire Tragedy, dubiously claimed to be by William Shakespeare

     Why, the more fool she; aye, the more ninny hammer she.

   • 1836 Joanna Baillie, Enthusiasm, Act 2

     'Silly noodle!—foolish simpleton!—bewildered ninnyhammer! He had brains in his head once.'

   • 1955, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

     'Well, if I don't deserve to be hung on the end of one as a warning to numbskulls! You're nowt but a ninnyhammer, Sam Gamgee: that's what the Gaffer said to me often enough, it being a word of his. Rope!'

Synonyms

• ninny
• nincompoop
• boob