Mooncalf

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈmuːnkɑːf/

Definitions

1. An individual considered foolish or gullible is described by this term, which also signifies someone naive and lacking in insight and may refer to a dreamy person disconnected from practical matters
2. A person regarded as silly or lacking good judgment ; someone who is often lost in thought and disconnected from reality
3. An individual seen as simple-minded or easily deceived ; a person whose mind frequently wanders away from practical concerns

Etymology: The old belief behind "mooncalf" was that the moon could interfere with pregnancy. A malformed or stillborn fetus, or a shapeless lump of flesh, was thought to be the work of lunar influence, and the offspring were called mooncalves. The word was built simply from "moon" and "calf," the calf being the young of the cow, though here it stood loosely for any unformed offspring. From that grim image, the term drifted into a figure of insult. Someone who seemed dim, unformed in mind, or dreamily out of touch with the world could be called a mooncalf, and the sense of a person with a moon-touched, half-made wit was what stuck in English use. Its meaning today is a foolish or naive person, a far gentler jibe than its origin suggests.

Synonyms: fool, simpleton