simpleton

From simple +‎ -ton (as in a surname). Compare French simplet, Italian semplicione.

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪmpəltən/

• Audio (Southern England):

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simpleton (plural simpletons)

1. (derogatory) A simple-minded person lacking common sense.
   • 2001, Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl, page 92:

     The stranger had crossed a sacred line. He had mentioned the men's mothers. Nothing could get him out of a beating now, even the fact that he was obviously a simpleton. Albeit a simpleton with a good vocabulary.

   • 2012 May 15, Scott Tobias, “Film: Reviews: The Dictator”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     Baron Cohen’s new creation (and the previous ones, too) has its roots in Groucho characters like Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding, Otis B. Driftwood, and Prof. Quincy Adams Wagstaff, and the concept of a pompous simpleton running a rogue nation has obvious parallels to Duck Soup’s Rufus T. Firefly, who leads the country of Fredonia to a needless and highly preventable war.

   • 2024 November 25, Max Brockman, “P.I. Undercover: New York” (11:26 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows‎, 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.” “No, he is not the leader. That would be another devil who pulls the strings. The halfwit they call the director.”

• simpleton on Wikipedia.Wikipedia