featherbrain

1 8.7

A person who is silly and not very bright

noun
/ˈfɛðərˌbreɪn/

Offensive

: cabeza de chorlito

The birds have names like Igor, Stinky, Long John and Featherbrain.

Examples

The teacher noticed that her featherbrain students struggled to follow the lesson.
After forgetting the simplest things, he jokingly referred to himself as a featherbrain.
- And that one's Featherbrain.

Fly Away Home (1996)
Bunny, you're a featherbrain.

Albert Nobbs (2011)
And when he does, he indicates by the incredulous tilt of his eyebrows that he considers her a featherbrain, incapable of acting in her own selfish interests.

Fiction book (2002)
She was always daydreaming in class, which made her friends call her a featherbrain.

Synonyms

nitwit

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

36 7.9

A person who acts silly and not very smart

often means silly even when low intelligence is less certain

cuckoo

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

26 8.4

A person who behaves in a silly or strange way

is gender neutral and applies to any person lacking seriousness or smarts

ninny

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

14 8.4

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

tends to refer to silliness rather than formal stupidity

dimwit

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

14 7.7

A person who is not very smart

is milder, describing silliness rather than severe stupidity

airhead

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

13 8.8

A person who is silly and not very smart

leans more toward low intelligence rather than simple forgetfulness

numbskull

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

8 6.8

A person who is not very smart and often acts without thinking

can imply silliness more than harsh stupidity

birdbrain

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

7 7.7

A person who is not very smart

covers silliness or low intelligence without implying inability to think

dingbat

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

6 9.2

A person who is silly and not thinking clearly

is used more broadly for silliness, not only empty thinking

nimrod

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

5 9.2

A person who behaves foolishly and who others often insult with this word

is more neutral, not necessarily playful or insulting

chowderhead

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

3 9.9

A person who behaves in a silly or stupid way

is used more for a person's general lack of intelligence than one action

dunderhead

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

3 9.1

A person who often does foolish things or makes simple mistakes

is used more gently for light silliness or poor judgement

lamebrain

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

3 9.3

A person who is not very smart

carries the same meaning but without the slang tone

bobo

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

3 9.8

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is used more gently and without intended insult

chucklehead

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

2 9.1

A person who is silly and acts foolishly

often labels general silliness rather than a single foolish act

featherhead

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

1 8.9

A person who is silly and often forgets things

is used more for silliness or low intelligence than mere distraction

simple

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who is not very intelligent

often means general silliness rather than serious lack of intelligence

coconut head

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who acts foolishly and lacks common sense

focuses more on low brainpower than on poor practical judgment

bubble-head

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

1 9.5

A person who is silly and not serious

describes general silliness rather than a sharp insult

blubberhead

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who behaves in a foolish way

is less marked by strong slang or insult

flapdoodle

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who says or does silly things

focuses more on general silliness or low intelligence

ditzy

vsfeatherbrain

Informal

1 8.7

A person who is silly and a little forgetful

can mean lacking intelligence rather than only being scatterbrained

dingling

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

9.9

A person who acts silly or foolish

expresses the idea in plain language rather than slang

pudden-head

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

9.9

A person who is not very smart

is similar but may sound less colloquial

barney

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

8.8

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

often refers to character, not only a single silly incident

feather-brain

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

9.1

A person who often forgets things and acts silly

covers silliness and low intelligence rather than being mainly forgetful

fribble

vsfeatherbrain

Archaic

9.9

A silly person who does not act seriously

is more modern and centers on lack of intelligence or silliness

der-brain

vsfeatherbrain

Offensive

9.9

A person who acts foolishly or forgets things

is less about forgetfulness and more about general silliness or low intellect

How Silly

fool

Offensive

∞ 1.4

featherbrain

Offensive

1 8.7

scatterbrain

Offensive

1 7.0

Surface Forms

featherbrain singular

featherbrains plural

Morphology

featherbrain = feather + brain (semi-transparent) = feather + brain

The compound 'featherbrain' is a metaphorical combination ('light feather' + 'brain') yielding 'silly person'; the meaning is inferable but figurative rather than strictly literal.

Etymology

Featherbrain comes from joining feather and brain, like a brain that is 'light as a feather'. So it paints a picture of someone who is a bit silly, forgetful, or not very serious.