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noun

nincompoop

NIHNG-kuhm-poop
noun
1
A silly, foolish person.
"Only a nincompoop would leave the front door wide open overnight."
"He called himself a nincompoop for forgetting the tickets."

How to Use Nincompoop

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn old-fashioned, faintly comic word for a fool.

When to use it

Playful rather than cruel — often used affectionately or in jest.

Word Forms

nincompoops plural

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Only a _____ would leave the front door wide open overnight.

Etymology

Origin uncertain and debated for centuries; possibly linked to the name Nicodemus or to "ninny," with a second part that may come from an old sense of "poop" meaning to fool or deceive.

Rhymes for nincompoop

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial