ninny
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈnɪni/
rhymes: -ɪni
Forms: form: ninnies
Etymology: Unknown; the synonym ninnyhammer appears around the same time. Possibly related to innocent or Italian ninno (“small child”).
Senses: examples: text: Byd. […] a good cheeke, an inticing eye, a smooth skinne, a well shapt leg, a faire hand, you cannot bring a wench into a fooles parradize for you?
Sim. Not I by this garter, I am a foole, a very Ninny I, how call you her? how call you her?
ref: 1601 (date written), Iohn Marston [i.e., John Marston], What You Will, London: […] G[eorge] Eld, for Thomas Thorppe, published 1607, →OCLC, Act V:
text: Caliban: What a py'de Ninnie's this? Thou ſcvrvy patch: […]
ref: 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 12:
text: Ninny — that soft, smiling, self-effacing, apologetic fellow, the type who is terribly sorry when you happen to step on his foot, the kind you can borrow money from in the certainty he will never demand you repay it.
ref: 1962, John D. MacDonald, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
text: Now, on the pool deck, the boys tussle and roughhouse with the zeal of Labrador puppies, slugging each other lovingly in the shoulders and then retreating with giggles like ninnies.
ref: 2021 May 7, Barrett Swanson, “The Anxiety of Influencers”, in Harper's Magazine:
synonyms: word: dummkopf
word: addle-brain
word: addlehead
word: addle pate
word: airhead
word: baboon
word: beanbrain
word: beetlebrain
word: beetlehead
word: berk
word: bimbo
word: birdbrain
word: blockhead
word: blubberbrain
word: bonehead
word: Boeotian
word: boob
word: bozo
word: brainlet
word: brickhead
word: bubblehead
word: bubble brain
word: bufflehead
word: buffoon
word: Charlie
raw_tags: with "right" and/or "proper"
word: chowderhead
word: chucklehead
word: chump
word: cittern-head
word: clod
word: clodpate
word: clot
word: clown
word: crackhead
word: cretin
word: cuckoo
word: deadhead
word: dimbo
word: dim bulb
word: dimbus
word: dimwit
word: dingbat
word: ding dong
word: dingleberry
word: dingwad
word: dip
word: dipstick
word: doldrum
word: dolt
word: donut
word: doodle
word: doof
word: doofoid
word: doofus
word: dope
word: dork
word: drivel
word: drongo
word: drool bucket
word: dullard
word: dumb bunny
word: dumbbell
word: dumb cluck
word: dumbhead
word: dumble
word: dumbling
word: dumbnut
word: dumbo
word: dummkopf
word: dummy
word: dunce
word: dunderhead
word: dunderpate
word: eejit
word: fathead
word: featherbrain
word: fenderhead
word: fleabrain
word: fool
word: fopdoodle
word: galoot
word: gimboid
word: gomer
word: gonk
word: goober
word: goof
word: goofball
word: goofy
word: goose
word: goosecap
word: gorbuson
word: gudgeon
word: halfwit
word: ha'porth
word: hammerhead
word: idiot
word: ignoramus
word: imbecile
word: inbred
word: jackaninny
word: jellybrain
word: jerk
word: juggins
word: jughead
word: knothead
word: knucklehead
word: lackwit
word: lamebrain
word: log
word: loggerhead
word: lummox
word: lunk
word: lunkhead
word: maroon
word: meatball
word: meathead
word: mental midget
word: mome
word: momo
word: mongoloid
word: mongtard
word: monkey
word: moron
word: mouth breather
word: muggins
word: mushhead
word: muttonhead
word: mutt
word: nimrod
word: nincompoop
word: ninny
word: ninnyhammer
word: nit
word: nitwit
word: noddy
word: noodlehead
word: numbskull
word: oaf
word: peabrain
word: peagoose
word: pillock
word: pigwidgeon
word: pinhead
word: plank
word: plonker
word: prat
word: put
word: putz
word: retard
word: sap
word: saphead
word: schmo
word: silly
word: simp
word: simpleton
word: snapperhead
word: sot
word: space cadet
word: spanner
word: stupe
word: stupid
word: stupid-head
word: tomfool
word: tard
word: thickhead
word: thickskull
word: thicko
word: tonto
word: toolbox
word: tosspot
word: turkey
word: twit
word: wally
word: wantwit
word: wazzer
word: wazzock
word: witless wonder
word: yo-yo
word: zany
word: Vulgar:
word: ass
word: assclown
word: asshat
word: asshead
word: asstard
word: asswipe
word: buttbreath
word: dildo
word: dipshit
word: donkey dick
word: Alternative spelling of dumbass.
word: dumbfuck
word: dumbfucker
word: dumbshit
word: farthead
word: fuck-knuckle
word: fucktard
word: fuckwit
word: jackass
word: peckerhead
word: shitbrain
word: shithead
word: shitneck
word: shitwit
word: twat
glosses: A silly or foolish person.
Derived terms: bliss ninny
ninnery
Related terms: nincompoop
ninnyish
ninnyism
ninnyhammer
ninny-pinny