Doltish
/ˈdoʊl.tɪʃ/noun
Foolish or slow-witted.
Did you know?The root behind **doltish** is tied to **dolt**, a word long used for a dull, stupid person, but unlike magical-sounding words such as *spell* or *glamour*, its power is brutally plain: it’s an old-fashioned verbal curse of contempt.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheu-
“To be dull, obscure, or deficient in sharpness.”
Old English
OE
dol
“Dull, foolish, or senseless.”
Middle English
ME
dolt
“A stupid person; a fool.”
Late Middle English
ME
doltish
“Having the quality of a dolt; foolish or stupid.”
Modern English
English
doltish
“Foolish or slow-witted.”