dunce
UK: dʌns | US: dʌns
n. a person who is slow at learning or lacks intelligence
dunce = Dunce<nickname> + e<silent letter>
- Dunce<nickname>: Derived from the name John Duns Scotus, a 13th-century scholastic philosopher whose followers ("Dunsmen") were later mocked as overly rigid or unintelligent.
- e<silent letter>: A vestigial spelling marker with no phonetic or semantic role.
Etymology Origin:
The word "dunce" originated as a derogatory term for followers of John Duns Scotus, whose complex theological arguments fell out of favor during the Renaissance. Critics labeled them as obstinate or foolish, and by the 16th century, "dunce" became a general insult for slow learners. The silent "e" reflects Middle English spelling conventions.
The teacher sighed as the dunce struggled with basic arithmetic.
He was unfairly labeled a dunce despite his creative talents.
Medieval scholars would never have imagined "dunce" becoming an insult.
The dunce cap was once used to humiliate underperforming students.
Modern education rejects shaming methods like dunce corners.