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Birdbrain
01
a silly or foolish person with little intelligence
Disapproving
Informal
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Human
Composition
Compound
Countable
Plural form
birdbrains
What is the origin of the term "birdbrain" and how is it used?
"Birdbrain" is an English insult that emerged in the early 20th century, based on the perception that birds have very small brains and therefore limited intelligence. The term metaphorically labels someone as silly, foolish, or lacking common sense, implying their thinking is lightweight or scatterbrained. It is used in informal, often playful or teasing speech in English-speaking countries, and is mildly derogatory—insulting a person's intelligence but usually not intended as deeply offensive.
Examples
You birdbrain, why did you put salt in the coffee instead of sugar?
Lexical Tree
birdbrain
bird
brain
