1 mutt | Definition of mutt

mutt

noun
\ ˈmət How to pronounce mutt (audio) \

Definition of mutt

1 : a stupid or insignificant person : fool
2 : a mongrel dog : cur

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Synonyms & Antonyms for mutt

Synonyms

airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead, bubblehead, chowderhead, chucklehead, clodpoll (or clodpole), clot [British], cluck, clunk, cretin, cuddy (or cuddie) [British dialect], deadhead, dim bulb [slang], dimwit, dip, dodo, dolt, donkey, doofus [slang], dope, dork [slang], dullard, dum-dum, dumbbell, dumbhead, dummkopf, dummy, dunce, dunderhead, fathead, gander, golem, goof, goon, half-wit, hammerhead, hardhead, idiot, ignoramus, imbecile, jackass, know-nothing, knucklehead, lamebrain, loggerhead [chiefly dialect], loon, lump, lunkhead, meathead, mome [archaic], moron, mug [chiefly British], natural, nimrod [slang], nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit [chiefly British], nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull (or numbskull), oaf, pinhead, prat [British], ratbag [chiefly Australian], saphead, schlub (also shlub) [slang], schnook [slang], simpleton, stock, stupe, stupid, thickhead, turkey, woodenhead, yahoo, yo-yo

Antonyms

brain, genius

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Did You Know?

Mutt can now be used with either affection or disdain to refer to a dog that is not purebred, but in the word's early history, in the U.S. around the turn of the 20th century, it could also be used to describe a person - and not kindly: "mutt" was another word for "fool." The word's history lies in another insult. It comes from "muttonhead," another Americanism that also means essentially "fool." "Muttonhead" had been around since the early 19th century but it was not unlike an older insult with the same meaning: people had been calling one another "sheep's heads" since the mid-16th century.

Examples of mutt in a Sentence

it's an expensive camera, and I'd rather not turn it over to some mutt

Recent Examples on the Web

So, Creel and the Knine Rescue team reached out to the community and were able to arrange transportation for the sweet mutt who had spent her whole life in a cage. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "WATCH: Dog Saved One Day Before Euthanasia to Become Senior Living Center "House Dog"," 16 Aug. 2019 Some zoos, however, simply pick a mutt from the local shelter that matches their criteria. Alexis Gravely, WSJ, "What’s Cuter Than a Baby Cheetah? A Baby Cheetah With Its Puppy Pal," 28 June 2019 Don’t miss Pooches on Parade, when mutts and their owners will be dressed in red, white and blue. April Orcutt, latimes.com, "Here's where you'll find maximum fun for your Fourth of July celebrations," 17 June 2018 Under an auspiciously sunny sky, Dad arrives late at the airport, but with an adorable mutt in tow. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Magari' ('If Only'): Film Review | Locarno 2019," 8 Aug. 2019 Hearts & Bones Animal Rescue shared photos of the five week old shepherd mutt - aptly named Salvador Dolly - to Facebook July 26. Rebecca Hennes, Houston Chronicle, "Homeless puppy with handlebar mustache brings surge of applications to Texas-based shelter," 1 Aug. 2019 While Picard seems to be looking to his field, his mutt gazes upward, seeming to long to go for a walk — to the stars! James Hibberd, EW.com, "Star Trek: Picard reveals new poster, Starfleet space dog," 10 July 2019 Her mom suggested a DNA test to unravel the mystery of their mutt. Karina Bland, azcentral, "DNA, not a detective, unravels the tail of the mystery mutt," 15 July 2019 This month’s slideshow of pets is devoted to the mutt — that stalwart, loving dog that knows not of pedigrees. Joan Morris, The Mercury News, "Can Sweetie Pie, a Livermore stray cat, become a house cat again?," 12 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mutt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of mutt

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for mutt

short for muttonhead dull-witted person

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