† foltn.

Forms: Middle English ffolt, Middle English ffolte, Middle English folet, Middle English folett, Middle English folette, Middle English folt, Middle English foolte, Middle English–1500s folte, 1500s foult.

Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French folet.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French folet, follet (French (now archaic) follet ) foolish person (late 12th cent. in Old French) < fol mad, foolish (see fool n.¹) + -et -et suffix¹.Compare Italian folletto (13th cent.).

Obsolete.

A foolish person; a fool.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > foolish person, fool > [noun]

dizzyc825

cang?c1225

foolc1225

apec1330

mopc1330

saddle-goosec1346

mis-feelinga1382

foltc1390

mopec1390

fona1400

buffardc1430

fopc1440

joppec1440

fonda1450

fondlinga1450

insipienta1513

plume of feathers1530

bobolynec1540

dizzard1546

Little Witham?1548

nodc1563

dawkin1565

cocknel1566

nigion1570

niddicock1577

nodcock1577

cuckoo1581

Jack with the feather1581

niddipol1582

noddyship?1589

stirkc1590

fonkin1591

Gibraltar1593

fopper1598

noddypeak1598

coxcombry1600

simple1600

gowka1605

nup1607

fooliaminy1608

silly ass1608

dosser-head1612

dor1616

glow-worm1624

liripipea1625

doodle1629

sop1637

spalt1639

fool's head1650

buffle1655

Jack Adams1656

bufflehead1659

nincompoopc1668

bavian1678

nokes1679

foolanea1681

cod1699

hulver-head1699

nigmenog1699

single ten1699

mud1703

dowf1722

foolatum1740

silly billy1749

tommy noddy1774

arsec1785

nincom1800

silly1807

slob1810

omadhaun1818

potwalloper1820

mosy1824

amadan1825

gump1825

gype1825

oonchook1825

prawn1845

suck-egg1851

goosey1852

nowmun1854

pelican1856

poppy-show1860

buggerlugs1861

damfool1881

mudhead1882

yob1886

peanut head1891

haggis bag1892

poop1893

gazob1906

mush1906

wump1908

zob1911

gorm1912

goof1916

goofus1916

gubbins1916

dumb cluck1922

twat1922

B.F.1925

goofer1925

bird brain1926

berk1929

Berkeley1929

Berkeley Hunt1929

ding1929

loogan1929

stupido1929

poop-stick1930

nelly1931

droop1932

diddy1933

slappy1937

goof ball1938

get1940

poon1940

tonk1941

clot1942

yuck1943

possum1945

gobdaw1947

momo1953

nig-nog1953

plonker1955

weenie1956

nong-nong1959

Berkshire Hunt1960

balloon1965

doofus1965

dork1965

nana1965

shit-for-brains1966

schmoll1967

tosspot1967

lunchbox1969

doof1971

tonto1973

dorkus1979

motorhead1979

mouth-breather1979

wally1980

wally brain1981

der-brain1983

langer1983

numpty1985

sotong1988

fanny1995

fannybaws2000

c1390 Talkyng of Love of God (Vernon) (1950) 16 He is afolte, þat sold haþ his soule for stinkynde lustes.

a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) l. 8299 A kaynard and a[n] olde folte.

a1450 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Lamb.) (1887) i. l. 4527 A folet couþe he wel adaunte.

1566 T. Drant tr. Horace Medicinable Morall sig. Aiiij The foolishe frantycke foultes.

1579 E. Hake Newes out of Powles Churchyarde newly Renued iv. sig. Cviii^v Howe yll bestowde is welth On such new fangled fondish foltes which chaunge the same for pelth?

Derivatives

folthead n. foolishness.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [noun]

unwisdomc825

unredeeOE

egedec1175

unwitc1175

unwisdomnessa1200

dusileca1225

dusischipa1225

folly?c1225

kangschipe?c1225

unwitshipa1250

unwisenessa1340

cornardy1340

unwithead1340

lewdness1362

nicetyc1380

sotie1390

folitya1400

follinessa1400

foolheada1400

insipiencec1422

fondnessa1425

wanwita1425

cocardyc1430

foltry1440

jopperyc1440

folliheada1450

fonning?a1475

niceheada1475

foltheadc1475

folabilitya1529

daftness1552

foolageness1563

foppery1592

guckry1596

senselessness1606

coxcombry1608

goosery1642

ineptitude1656

fopicalness1660

fopperishness1683

insagacity1808

spoonery1824

spooniness1824

noodleism1830

addle-headedness1835

foolishment1852

insapiency1876

ineptness1877

goosiness1888

inepticality1923

sappiness1943

gormlessness1958

c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) ii. l. 7 Non..ȝoure name wolde nempne, In ffersnesse ne in ffoltheed.

foltry n. foolishness.

ΘΚΠ