Clodd

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A compact lump of earth or clay, such as a clump of soil turned up by a spade ; a dull and slow-witted person who is regarded as foolish
2. A small mass of soil or dried mud broken off from the ground ; an oafish, dim-witted individual who is considered stupid
3. A clump of packed earth or clay, often found in a field after ploughing ; a slow and obtuse fellow thought to lack intelligence

Etymology: "Clodd" is an older spelling of "clod," meaning a lump or clump, especially of earth. The modern form has lost its doubled consonant, but the sense of a compact mass of soil that clings together has stayed the same. "Clod" comes from Old English, where a related form meant a lump or mass. It is closely linked to "clot," which shows the same idea of something that has gathered into a solid lump. Related words in Low German and Dutch, such as "kloot" (a ball), suggest a shared sense of something rounded or heaped together, though the exact path of each word is not fully settled.