midwit
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From mid- + wit; likely coined in line with nitwit, halfwit, etc.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
midwit (plural midwits)
- (neologism, chiefly Internet slang, mildly derogatory) A person of middling intellect; someone who is neither particularly dumb nor notably intelligent, especially if they act as if they are smarter than they are.
- 2023 February 11, Janan Ganesh, “After Germany's fall, which is the paragon nation?”, in FT Weekend, page 22:
- A true paragon nation captures the midwit, get-the-news-from-Trevor-Noah demographic.
Usage notes[edit]
At least online, the term commonly carries connotations of the person deemed a "midwit" of being oversocialized and holding socially-acceptable views as if they were intellectually profound.