Crackpots

/ˈkrækpɑts/ noun

Definition

People who have unusual or crazy ideas that most other people think are foolish or completely wrong.

Etymology

Originally from 'crack' (meaning excellent or first-rate) combined with 'pot' (container), dating to the 1600s. Over time, 'crackpot' evolved to mean someone whose brain (the pot) is 'cracked' or broken, suggesting eccentric or unhinged thinking.

Kelly Says

Many people called 'crackpots' in history—like the Wright brothers with their flying machine or scientists studying atomic energy—turned out to be geniuses, reminding us that the line between crazy and visionary can be pretty thin.

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