Dictionary

ninny en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈnɪni/

Etymology

Unknown; the synonym ninnyhammer appears around the same time. Possibly related to innocent or Italian ninno (“small child”).

Meanings

1. (informal) A silly or foolish person.
   • Caliban: What a py'de Ninnie's this? Thou ſcvrvy patch: […] 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:
   • 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. 1962, John D. MacDonald, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
   • 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? 1601 (date written), Iohn Marston [i.e., John Marston], What You Will, London: […] G[eorge] Eld, for Thomas Thorppe, published 1607, →OCLC, Act V:
   • "Nob, you woolly-pated ninny!" [Butterbur] cried. "Can't you give old friends their names? 1955, J.R.R. Tolkien, “Homeward Bound”, in The Return of the King:
   • 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. 2021 May 7, Barrett Swanson, “The Anxiety of Influencers”, in Harper's Magazine:

Forms

Deriveds

cotton-headed ninny-muggins · bliss ninny · ninnery · stinking ninny

Relateds

ninnyism · ninnyish · ninny-pinny · nincompoop · ninnyhammer

Synonyms

mouth breather · wazzer · knucklehead · goon · muggins · doof · doofoid · buffoon · asshead · knothead · ninny · featherbrain · dunderpate · asstard · Alternative spelling of dumbass. · jackaninny · juggins · eejit · baboon · dingbat · peabrain · shitwit · dumbhead · nit · lunk · meatball · plonker · goober · stupid · ass · fopdoodle · Vulgar: · dolt · dumb cluck · bufflehead · addlehead · cretin · Boeotian · tard · twit · turkey · galoot · nimrod · simpleton · Charlie · boob · dummy · beetlebrain · peagoose · jellybrain · dunderhead · brainlet · simp · chucklehead · dimbo · idiot · cittern-head · meathead · fuckwit · tosspot · dope · retard · dumbshit · dumbfucker · gonk · bubblehead · momo · chowderhead · gomer · drivel · fool · toolbox · dingwad · dummkopf · putz · fleabrain · zany · dipshit · halfwit · dunce · dildo · log · lummox · goofy · addle pate · fucktard · lamebrain · goofball · dimwit · bubble brain · loggerhead · deadhead · stupe · shithead · schmo · nincompoop · inbred · dumbbell · gudgeon · shitbrain · airhead · wantwit · pinhead · chump · nitwit · numbskull · moron · clod · mongtard · twat · tomfool · assclown · clot · yo-yo · saphead · ignoramus · doldrum · clown · jerk · buttbreath · beanbrain · bimbo · space cadet · donkey dick · prat · hammerhead · dipstick · lunkhead · ninnyhammer · mushhead · goosecap · brickhead · dumbnut · simpleton · goof · thickhead · imbecile · nincom · put · cuckoo · gimboid · mome · blockhead · jughead · farthead · crackhead · dingleberry · beetlehead · doofus · jackass · addle-brain · mutt · smooth brain · asshat · dumb bunny · sap · dullard · plank · peckerhead · drool bucket · wally · gorbuson · dimbus · spanner · ha'porth · witless wonder · dim bulb · goose · maroon · birdbrain · drongo · tonto · shitneck · pillock · bonehead · sot · mongoloid · doodle · lackwit · dumbo · dumble · silly · dummkopf · stupid-head · snapperhead · mental midget · asswipe · clodpate · dip · fathead · fenderhead · dork · noodlehead · wazzock · donut · bozo · thickskull · berk · monkey · thicko · dumbfuck · oaf · muttonhead · pigwidgeon · fuck-knuckle · blubberbrain · ding dong · dumbling · noddy

Translations (20)

el κουτορνίθι (a silly or foolish person) · ro idiot (a silly or foolish person) · cs moula (a silly or foolish person) · sv dumbom (a silly or foolish person) · de Idiot (a silly or foolish person) · cs pitomec (a silly or foolish person) · fi nynny (a silly or foolish person) · ro găgăuță (a silly or foolish person) · ro neghiob (a silly or foolish person) · sv jöns (a silly or foolish person) · cs trouba (a silly or foolish person) · ro prostănac (a silly or foolish person) · fi nysverö (a silly or foolish person) · ro gogoman (a silly or foolish person) · sk trdlo (a silly or foolish person) · de Dummkopf (a silly or foolish person) · ru ню́ня (a silly or foolish person) · ro tont (a silly or foolish person) · ro prost (a silly or foolish person) · la mastrūca (a silly or foolish person)