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ninny. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
ninny, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
ninny in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
Unknown; possibly related to innocent or Italian ninno (“small child”).
Pronunciation
Noun
ninny (plural ninnies)
- (informal) A silly or foolish person.
- Synonyms: dummkopf; see also Thesaurus:idiot
1601 (date written), Iohn Marston [i.e., John Marston], What You Will, London: G Eld, for Thomas Thorppe, published 1607, →OCLC, Act V:Byd. […] a good cheeke, an inticing eye, a smooth skinne, a well shapt leg, a faire hand, you cannot bring a wench into a fooles parradize for you?
Sim. Not I by this garter, I am a foole, a very Ninny I, how call you her? how call you her?
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 12:Caliban: What a py'de Ninnie's this? Thou ſcvrvy patch: […]
1962, John D. MacDonald, (Please provide the book title or journal name):Ninny — that soft, smiling, self-effacing, apologetic fellow, the type who is terribly sorry when you happen to step on his foot, the kind you can borrow money from in the certainty he will never demand you repay it.
2021 May 7, Barrett Swanson, “The Anxiety of Influencers”, in Harper's Magazine:Now, on the pool deck, the boys tussle and roughhouse with the zeal of Labrador puppies, slugging each other lovingly in the shoulders and then retreating with giggles like ninnies.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
a silly or foolish person
References