butterfingers

1 8.1

A person who often drops things, especially in sports

noun
/ˈbʌtərˌfɪŋɡərz/

Informal

: torpe

A Butterfingers.

Examples

Just call me Mr. Butterfingers.

UHF (1989)
Hey, Butterfingers, come here.

Iron Man (2008)
Everyone calls him Butterfingers because all Erics are terrible at sports.

Blog text (6)
Bibles in the bag, not Butterfingers?

Blog text (22)
I got Reese's, Butterfingers, 3 Musketeers.

Grown Ups (2010)
You probably love Butterfingers.

Fiction book (1991)
Roger's reaction to Dr. Butterfingers seemed to suggest that he and Joanie had been through multiple break-ups and reunions.

Blog text (25)
AND "BUTTERFINGERS."

Meet the Robinsons (2007)
He dropped the ball again during practice; everyone laughed and called him butterfingers.
Because he always fumbles the ball, his teammates affectionately refer to him as butterfingers.

Synonyms

classic butterfinger

vsbutterfingers

Offensive

8.5

A person who often drops things because they are clumsy

is mainly about frequently dropping items especially in sport or while handling objects

Antonyms

steady hand

7 3.8

A calm, careful way of guiding movement or people in difficult situations

sure-handed

1 6.2

Skilled, steady, and confident when doing a task, often using the hands

How Clumsy

bungler

1 7.8

klutz

Offensive

22 8.2

butterfingers

Informal

1 8.1

clumsy person

1 3.4

Surface Forms

butterfingers singular

butterfingers plural

Morphology

butterfingers = butter + finger (semi-transparent) = butter + finger + s

The components 'butter' and 'finger' are clear, but the word is a figurative nickname meaning 'clumsy person', so the relation is metaphorical rather than strictly literal.

Etymology

Butterfingers gives a clear image: butter makes things slippery and fingers are your hands, so it is like your hands are covered in 'butter' and keep dropping things. That's why a butterfingers is a person who often drops things, especially in sport or when holding things.