Witling
/ˈwɪt.lɪŋ/noun
A person with little wit or intelligence; a foolish or insignificant person.
Did you know?Witling is built from Old English *wita* “wise man, sage” and the diminutive suffix *-ling*, the same tiny/derogatory ending behind words like *duckling* and *underling*.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weid-
“to see, know”
Old English
OE
wita
“a wise man, counselor, sage”
Old English
OE
witt
“mind, intelligence, understanding”
Middle English
ME
witling
“a person with little wit; a foolish fellow”
Modern English
English
witling
“a person with little wit or intelligence”