a person who frequently drops things or is clumsy; someone who has difficulty holding onto objects.
Compound word combining 'butter' (the slippery dairy product) and 'fingers.' The term emerged in the 1600s as a playful description, using 'butter' because it's slippery, metaphorically comparing the person's grip to buttered hands.
This insult is actually scientifically interesting—some people genuinely have different proprioception (body awareness), making them naturally clumsier, so calling someone butterfingers isn't always fair!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.