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nincompoop

Etymology and origin of the English word nincompoop

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈnɪŋkəmpuːp/ (UK); /ˈnɪŋkəmˌpup/, /ˈnɪn-/ (US)[1]

Etymology

The origin is unknown.[2][3][4][5] The earliest form is nicompoop (before 1676);[6][5] the extra n probably came from ninny.[6] A link with Latin non compos mentis “not of sound mind”, noted by Samuel Johnson, is rejected because the earliest forms lack the second n.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A fool, blockhead, simpleton (1676).[7][6][3]

Semantic evolution

The modern form is found by the 1680s,[5] though Barnhart dates nincompoop to 1706.[6] Another common spelling through the 18th century was nickum-poop.[5] A 1699 dictionary of thieves' slang defines it as a fool, and also a soft, doting husband.[5] The meaning has stayed the same.[7][2]

Timeline

  • 1676 – nicompoop, a fool.[7][6][3][5]
  • 1680s – nincompoop.[5]
  • 1706 – nincompoop (Barnhart's date).[6]
  • 1791 – nincompoopery.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A silly or stupid person; a fool.

Word family

  • nincompoopery
  • nincompoopish
  • ninny
  • simpleton
  • nitwit

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  7. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Nincompoop.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/nincompoop. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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