Search Dictionary
Definition of dunce

dunce

/dʌns/
dunce
Plural:dunces
•
Adjective:duncish
JUMP TO:

dunce Lexical Profile

dunce Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person who is slow at learning or regarded as unintelligent.

Example

"In nineteenth-century classrooms, a student who failed to recite the lesson was sometimes treated as a dunce and made to stand in the corner."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for dunce
Antonyms
View all antonyms for dunce

• Rhymes for dunce

• Nearby Words

dumpster
dumptruck
dumpy
dunce
dundee
dunderhead
dune

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 16th century from the name of John Duns Scotus (c. 1266–1308), a brilliant Scottish Scholastic theologian. During the Renaissance and Reformation, humanists mocked his followers ('Dunsmen' or 'Dunses') as stubborn, hair-splitting pedants resistant to new learning, causing the name to invert into a term for a slow learner.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dunce. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dunce
Built for writers, students, and competitive word game players, Wordmom combines an uncluttered English dictionary and thesaurus with fast, pattern-based word finders so you can verify definitions, synonyms, and high-scoring tile plays in one place.
Word Games & Solvers
Word FinderScrabble Word FinderWords With Friends CheatWordle SolverAnagram Solver
Dictionary & Reference
DictionarySynonymsAntonymsWords
Community
Contact UsEditorial PolicyPrivacy PolicyTerms and Conditions
© 2016–2026 Wordmom Network. All rights reserved. Made with for word lovers everywhere.
Disclaimer: SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A. and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. Words With Friends® is a registered trademark of Zynga Inc. Wordle® is a registered trademark of The New York Times Company. Other referenced game titles and tournament lexicon codes (including NASPA NWL and WESPA/HarperCollins CSW) are trademarks of their respective owners. Wordmom is an independent reference utility for educational and entertainment purposes and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Hasbro, Mattel, Spear, Zynga, The New York Times Company, NASPA, WESPA, or HarperCollins Publishers. All game names are referenced strictly under nominative fair use to indicate compatibility.