ignoramus
noun
ig·no·ra·mus ˌig-nə-ˈrā-məs 
also
-ˈra- plural ignoramuses also ignorami ˌig-nə-ˈrā-mē
also -ˈra-
: an utterly ignorant person : dunce
Did you know?
Ignoramus is the title of a farce by George Ruggle (1575-1622) that was first produced in 1615. The title character, whose name in Latin literally means "we do not know," is a lawyer who fancies himself to be quite shrewd but is actually foolish and ignorant. Ruggle may have been inspired in his choice of name for his character by a proceeding in the English judicial system. The term ignoramus was written on bills of indictment when the evidence presented seemed insufficient to justify prosecution. In these cases ignoramus indicated "we take no notice of (i.e., we do not recognize) this indictment." Such a reference would have been most appropriate for Ruggle's satire of the judiciary.
Synonyms
- airhead
- birdbrain
- blockhead
- bonehead
- bubblehead
- chowderhead
- chucklehead
- clodpoll
- clodpole
- clot [British]
- cluck
- clunk
- cretin
- cuddy [British dialect]
- cuddie
- deadhead
- dim bulb [slang]
- dimwit
- dip
- dodo
- dolt
- donkey
- doofus [slang]
- dope
- dork [slang]
- dullard
- dum-dum
- dumbbell
- dumbhead
- dummkopf
- dummy
- dunce
- dunderhead
- fathead
- gander
- golem
- goof
- goon
- half-wit
- hammerhead
- hardhead
- idiot
- imbecile
- jackass
- know-nothing
- knucklehead
- lamebrain
- loggerhead [chiefly dialect]
- loon
- lump
- lunkhead
- meathead
- mome [archaic]
- moron
- mug [chiefly British]
- mutt
- natural
- nimrod [slang]
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nitwit
- noddy
- noodle
- numskull
- numbskull
- oaf
- pinhead
- prat [British]
- ratbag [chiefly Australian]
- saphead
- schlub [slang]
- shlub
- schnook [slang]
- simpleton
- stock
- stupe
- stupid
- thickhead
- turkey
- woodenhead
- yahoo
- yo-yo
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
I can't believe they let an ignoramus like that run the company. only an ignoramus would be foiled by the building's security system
Recent Examples on the Web No one is asking him to embrace the full Ginsburg and declare himself a disrespectful ignoramus. 
James Freeman, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2021 Is there a list of protocols that I would be marked as a real ignoramus for ignoring? Washington Post, 28 June 2021 Could Field & Stream take a hunting know-nothing, a gun ignoramus-in other words, someone like me—and send her on one of the toughest hunts in North America? Susan Casey, Field & Stream, 6 Dec. 2020 But his vocabulary infuriated some word nerds who say irregardless is an invention employed by ignoramuses. Ephrat Livni, Quartz, 19 Dec. 2019 But onto the upper film Of supple, silky snowThe blush, breaks and bleedsThe purity of the skyThat has landed unscathedBetrayal islike the ignoramus of a leechAmber McCrary is Diné zinester, feminist and writer. Arizona Republic, azcentral, 28 June 2018 The part of the problem of the president has is his dealing with ignoramuses spoken inside his party and outside of his party and some whom are dressed up as lawyers. Fox News, 4 May 2018 Murray got the worse of it, but at minimum, I’m painted as a total ignoramus, right? Ezra Klein, Vox, 9 Apr. 2018 But that doesn't mean his staffers are iGnoramuses as well. Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2018 See More
James Freeman, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2021 Is there a list of protocols that I would be marked as a real ignoramus for ignoring? Washington Post, 28 June 2021 Could Field & Stream take a hunting know-nothing, a gun ignoramus-in other words, someone like me—and send her on one of the toughest hunts in North America? Susan Casey, Field & Stream, 6 Dec. 2020 But his vocabulary infuriated some word nerds who say irregardless is an invention employed by ignoramuses. Ephrat Livni, Quartz, 19 Dec. 2019 But onto the upper film Of supple, silky snowThe blush, breaks and bleedsThe purity of the skyThat has landed unscathedBetrayal islike the ignoramus of a leechAmber McCrary is Diné zinester, feminist and writer. Arizona Republic, azcentral, 28 June 2018 The part of the problem of the president has is his dealing with ignoramuses spoken inside his party and outside of his party and some whom are dressed up as lawyers. Fox News, 4 May 2018 Murray got the worse of it, but at minimum, I’m painted as a total ignoramus, right? Ezra Klein, Vox, 9 Apr. 2018 But that doesn't mean his staffers are iGnoramuses as well. Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Ignoramus, ignorant lawyer in Ignoramus (1615), play by George Ruggle, from Latin, literally, we are ignorant of
First Known Use
circa 1616, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
ignoramus
noun
ig·no·ra·mus ˌig-nə-ˈrā-məs
: no bill at bill 3b
ignoramuses
noun
variants also ignorami
as in idiots
a stupid person only an ignoramus would be foiled by the building's security system Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- idiots
- imbeciles
- morons
- dolts
- dullards
- dimwits
- dunderheads
- yahoos
- blockheads
- boneheads
- dopes
- simpletons
- dunces
- knuckleheads
- chuckleheads
- pinheads
- ninnies
- lunkheads
- numskulls
- stupids
- cretins
- jackasses
- airheads
- nitwits
- prats
- numbskulls
- dummies
- loons
- nimrods
- oafs
- mutts
- know-nothings
- hardheads
- nincompoops
- bubbleheads
- deadheads
- doofuses
- goons
- goofs
- stupes
- meatheads
- dorks
- donkeys
- noddies
- ratbags
- schlubs
- naturals
- dumb clucks
- half-wits
- clucks
- hammerheads
- fatheads
- lamebrains
- golems
- chowderheads
- fools
- ganders
- buffoons
- dumbheads
- birdbrains
- thickheads
- turkeys
- dodos
- loggerheads
- shlubs
- stocks
- schnooks
- losers
- lunatics
- cuddies
- dips
- dumbbells
- noodles
- sapheads
- villains
- dodoes
- nits
- dim bulbs
- clunks
- loonies
- nuts
- madmen
- momes
- dum-dums
- clodpoles
- dufuses
- ninnyhammers
- lumps
- woodenheads
- dummkopfs
- clodpolls
- clots
- geese
- zanies
- gawks
- boobies
- boors
- yo-yos
- clowns
- mugs
- scatterbrains
- jerks
- stinkers
- curs
- cads
- creeps
- skunks
- churls
- beasts
- skunk
- snakes
- heels
- featherbrains
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- intellectuals
- brains
- geniuses
- thinkers
- intellects
- genii
- sages
- wizards
- whizzes
- polymaths
- sharpies
- Renaissance men