Dunce

/dʌns/ noun

Definition

A person who is considered stupid or slow at learning; someone who has difficulty understanding things.

Etymology

From John Duns Scotus, a 13th-century Scottish philosopher whose complex theories were mocked by Renaissance scholars; 'Dunce' became slang for someone who doesn't understand things.

Kelly Says

It's wild that the word 'dunce' comes from a brilliant medieval philosopher—his followers were called 'Dunces,' and when his logical style fell out of fashion, the name became an insult, permanently damaging his reputation 500+ years later.

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