"Ninny — that soft, smiling, self-effacing, apologetic fellow, the type who is terribly sorry when you happen to step on his foot, the kind you can borrow money from in the certainty he will never demand you repay it." — (1962)
Wikipedia foundation.
Ninny — Nin ny, n.; pl. {Ninnies}. [Cf. It. ninno, ninna, a baby, Sp. ni[ n]o, ni[ n]a, child, infant, It. ninna, ninna nanna, lullably, prob. fr. ni, na, as used in singing a child to sleep.] A fool; a simpleton. Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
ninny — (n.) simpleton, fool, 1590s, perhaps a misdivision of an innocent (see N (Cf. N) for other examples), or from the pet form of the proper name INNOCENT (Cf. Innocent), with sense influenced by the name s literal meaning. There may be some… … Etymology dictionary
ninny — ► NOUN (pl. ninnies) informal ▪ a foolish and weak person. ORIGIN perhaps from INNOCENT(Cf. ↑innocently) … English terms dictionary
ninny — [nin′ē] n. pl. ninnies [< (a)n inn(ocent) + Y2] a fool; dolt … English World dictionary
ninny — UK [ˈnɪnɪ] / US noun [countable] Word forms ninny : singular ninny plural ninnies informal old fashioned a stupid person … English dictionary
Ninny — In use since the beginning of the seventeenth century as a term for a simpleton. The word probably derives from ‘innocent’. In Kipps, by H.G.Wells, ‘blundering ninny’ is used by Kipps’s uncle to address the hero. Mariana, by Monica Dickens,… … A dictionary of epithets and terms of address
ninny — [[t]nɪ̱ni[/t]] ninnies N COUNT (disapproval) If you refer to someone as a ninny, you think that they are foolish or silly. [INFORMAL, OLD FASHIONED] Syn: twit … English dictionary
ninny — /ˈnɪni / (say ninee) noun (plural ninnies) a fool; simpleton. {?; compare Ninny pet form of the name Innocent} …
ninny — noun (plural ninnies) Etymology: perhaps by shortening & alteration from an innocent Date: 1593 fool, simpleton … New Collegiate Dictionary
ninny — ninnyish, adj. /nin ee/, n., pl. ninnies. a fool or simpleton. [1585 95; perh. generic use of pet form of Innocent proper name; see Y2] * * * … Universalium
