Fuddy-Duddy
/ˈfʌd.i ˌdʌd.i/noun
A person regarded as old-fashioned, fussy, or resistant to change.
Did you know?Unlike words with ancient roots, “fuddy-duddy” is a relatively modern English rhyming formation whose exact first element remains uncertain; its power comes from sound symbolism and mockery rather than occult history.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
fuddy
“A dialectal or colloquial term associated with a dull, fussy, or old-fashioned person; its ultimate origin is uncertain.”
19th Century
English
duddy
“A rhyming companion to “fuddy,” used in a similar dismissive sense; its independent origin is uncertain.”
1870s
English
fuddy-duddy
“An American English expression for a person considered old-fashioned, conventional, or ineffectual.”
Late 19th Century
English
fuddy-duddy
“A mildly insulting label for someone perceived as humorless, fussy, or resistant to modern fashions.”
Modern English
English
fuddy-duddy
“A person viewed as old-fashioned or unwilling to accept change.”