halfwit

See also: half-wit

English

Alternative forms

• half-wit

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Germanic *halbaz

Proto-West Germanic *halb

Old English healf

Middle English half

English half

Proto-Indo-European *weyd-

Proto-Indo-European *wóyde

Proto-Germanic *witaną

Proto-Germanic *witją

Proto-West Germanic *witi

Old English witt

Middle English wit

English wit

English halfwit

From half + wit. First attested in 1607.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhæf.wɪt/
  • (trap–bath split) IPA^(key): /ˈhɑːf.wɪt/

    • Audio (Southern England):

      (file)

Noun

halfwit (plural halfwits)

1. (informal) Someone lacking in intelligence.

   Synonyms: fuckwit (vulgar); see also Thesaurus:idiot

   • 2007 June 15, Oliver Burkeman, “The rise of the anti-self-help movement”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎^[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 October 2026:

     It has been pointed out in this space before that a number of the titles you'll find shelved under self-help in your local bookshop are, on closer examination, farragos of wooden-headed tripe, written by mountebanks and halfwits.

   • 2024 November 25, Max Brockman, “P.I. Undercover: New York” (11:26 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows‎^[2], season 6, episode 8, spoken by Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry):

     “Doesn't matter. That man is not the leader.” “But he is the main guy on the show.” “He is an actor, Nandor. A simpleton who paints his face. He is an empty-headed puppet who thinks the world loves him, when in actual fact, he is nothing more than a lapdog begging for scraps.” [groans] “No, he is not the leader. That would be another devil who pulls the strings. The halfwit they call the director.”

Derived terms

• halfwittery

Related terms

• half-witted
• slow-witted

Translations

dimwit — see dimwit