Numbskulls

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to describe individuals who display a noticeable lack of intelligence or common sense
2. Referring to people perceived as foolish or slow-witted in understanding situations or concepts
3. Designating those who often make thoughtless decisions due to a deficit in mental acuity or awareness

Etymology: "Numbskulls" is simply the plural of "numbskull," so its history is that of the single word. "Numbskull" is a compound of "numb" and "skull," and the two halves come from quite different corners of the language. "Skull" is an old word of Scandinavian origin that came into English in the Middle Ages, while "numb" goes back much further, to Old English "niman," meaning "to take," which shifted over the centuries through the sense of being taken or seized, and then of being deadened or made insensible. The pairing describes a head that is, in effect, insensible, dulled as a limb can be when it has fallen asleep.

Synonyms: fools, dullards, idiots, nincompoops, simpletons

Antonyms: geniuses, intellects, savants