Pillock

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A foolish or irritating person, particularly one who behaves stupidly or annoyingly
2. A person who acts in a silly or irritating way, showing poor judgment or common sense
3. Someone who behaves foolishly or annoyingly, often causing frustration to others

Etymology: Pillock began as a crude anatomical word. In the mid-1500s it meant "penis," and it is likely descended from "pillicock," a term that could refer to a penis or to a boy or young man. The "-ock" ending is a diminutive suffix, so the word's core is probably "pill," which Norwegian dialects still use for the same body part. The shift from anatomy to insult came later and happened through slang. Once the word was used as a crude term, it became an easy one to hurl at someone as a rude name, and over time its sense softened into a general label for an irritating or foolish person. Its modern British use, as a mild but cutting insult, is the form most people now meet.

Synonyms: fool, idiot, dunce, nincompoop, simpleton

Antonyms: genius, sage, intellect, smart person, expert