A stupid or slow-witted person; someone who lacks intelligence or common sense. An insulting term for a foolish individual.
Possibly from Middle English 'dulled,' past participle of 'dullen' (to make dull), or related to 'dull.' The word appeared in the 16th century as a term for mental slowness, evolving from descriptions of blunted physical senses to intellectual deficiency.
Shakespeare was particularly fond of this insult, using it in several plays including 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' where Bottom calls himself a dolt. The word's punchy, single-syllable sound makes it especially effective as an insult, similar to other short, sharp terms of disparagement.
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