What it means
A nincompoop is a harmless fool, a silly goose who blunders about getting the simplest things wrong. It is an old, slightly theatrical insult, the sort a flustered parent or a Victorian schoolmaster might splutter. More daft than malicious, it lands soft, almost fond, like calling someone a great big wally.
Usage examples
"Which nincompoop parked across two spaces and then left the hazard lights blinking all afternoon?"
"I felt a right nincompoop turning up a whole day early for the appointment, suit and all."
"Some nincompoop left the freezer door open all weekend and now everything in it is a soggy mess."
"You absolute nincompoop, you brought the takeaway home and left the drinks on the bus."
"Only a proper nincompoop would mute himself and then spend ten minutes giving the big presentation."
Where it comes from
Recorded in English since the late 17th century, nincompoop has murky roots. The most repeated link is to the Latin legal phrase non compos mentis, meaning not of sound mind, though that path isn't nailed down beyond doubt. What is clear is that English turned it into a puffed-up, comic way to call someone a fool.
Other ways to say it
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