Meaning
An unintelligent person.
Etymology
Origin: Unknown
1530, named after John Duns Scotus (c. 1266–1308). Scotus was ironically a well-known Scottish thinker; his followers, however, opposed the philosophers of the Renaissance, and thus "dunce" was first used to describe someone rejecting new knowledge in 1530; later, any person deemed stupid.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 11 recorded puzzles: