nitwitteryn.
/ˈnɪtˌwɪt(ə)ri/, U.S. /nɪtˈwɪdəri/ colloquial.
Imbecility, stupidity; foolishness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > [noun]
hardnessOE
stuntnessc1000
sotshipc1050
witlessnessa1100
sotheada1200
dullness1398
bluntness1483
slowness1495
grossnessa1530
stupidity?1541
assishness?1548
dastardness1552
lourderie1555
dastardliness1556
blockishness1561
doltishness1569
sottage1569
sheepishness1574
doltry1581
sottishness1589
doltage1593
dorbellism1593
grout-headry1600
opacity1611
duncery1615
dunstery1615
stupidness1619
hebetude1621
insulsity1623
unintelligence1634
obtuseness1648
jobbernowlism1652
dullery1653
non-intelligence1653
blockheadishness1656
crassness1664
blockheadedness1716
stolidness1727
blockheadism1753
numbskullity1779
nincompoophood1791
duncishness1805
numbskullism1806
foziness1821
noodledum1821
obtusity1823
soft-headedness1823
noodledom1827
duncehood1829
dunderheadedness1830
sumphishness1830
asininity1831
dunderheadism1836
stockishness1837
dullardness1840
fat-headedness1840
stupor1845
duncedom1847
misintelligence1848
nincompoopery1850
wooden-headedness1850
dumminess1852
jolterheadedness1852
ninnyship1852
donkeyism1855
dumbness1860
beef-wittedness1863
crassitude1865
donkeyhood1869
slow-wittedness1869
chuckle-headedness1880
leatherheadedness1880
pinheadedness1884
numbskulledness1885
donkeydom1889
thickheadedness1889
density1894
moronism1922
nitwittedness1931
nitwittery1931
noodleness1931
dopiness1942
squirrel-headedness1955
nincompoopism1957
dim-wittedness1960
clottishness1961
1931 Olean (N.Y.) Evening Times 25 Aug. 10/5 Out of this nocturnal nitwittery has come many of the sly cracks of the variety halls.
1949 C. Fry Lady's not for Burning 96 Last, vulgarity, cruelty, trickery, sham And all possible nitwittery.
1965 New Statesman 6 Aug. 194/1 It does not advance dramatic art to..tolerate nitwittery for the sake of a Cause.
1997 Western Daily Press (Electronic ed.) 5 July He wanted to do something that incorporated our nitwittery and got rid of this stranglehold of seriousness which has dogged my reputation.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1931