Numskull

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person characterized by a notable deficiency in intelligence or practical judgment
2. An individual recognized for their repeated foolish decisions and lack of awareness
3. Someone who frequently acts without understanding or good judgment

Etymology: The "skull" in "numskull" is the head itself, and the "numb" is the surprise: the word originally described a head that had lost its feeling, not a head that lacked wits. Its first element is "numb," meaning deadened or insensible, the same word that gives us a limb that has fallen asleep. Joined to "skull," the compound pictured a person whose brain-box was, in effect, numb. The sense of stupidity came from that picture of dullness. A skull that was numb was one that could not think clearly, so the compound drifted from describing a physical state to describing a mental one. The word is a plain compound, and its meaning shifted in the way many insult words do, from a literal condition to a judgment about someone's character.

Synonyms: fool, dunce, nincompoop, simpleton, blockhead

Antonyms: genius, intellect, brain, savant, whiz