What does being called a 'Dingbat' mean?

Question

My executive director called my coworker a dingbat the other day. I have no idea what the word means? Or what reference he was refering to?

Is it something you call women as opposed to men? Please be descriptive on what being called a dingbat under this circumstances mean.

Alice

Answer 1

There are two common meanings of "dingbat":



1. A stupid or ditsy person.

This meaning was greatly popularized by the 1970s TV show "All In The Family," where the character Archie Bunker frequently called his wife, Edith, a "dingbat." Archie was also known for calling his son-in-law a "meathead."



2. A printer's term for symbols other than letters or numbers (like arrows, stars, circles, or squares, for example) that appear in some type fonts.



The director presumably intended meaning #1.

Anybody can be a dingbat, but now that you mention it, I have heard women called "dingbats" more often than men.

Answer 2

Define Dingbat

Answer 3

It's a true Australianicism. Sort of comes from the concept that whatever brains you may have had have been beaten out (dinged) with a bat - and the term 'dingbat' is now sort of referred to as a kind of native animal - which is classified as someone who has a lot of empty space upstairs and/or a few marbles loose and running around inside the cranium track with no brakes.



Make sense? Neither do dingbats.......

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

What does being called a 'Dingbat' mean?

My executive director called my coworker a dingbat the other day. I have no idea what the word means? Or what reference he was refering to?



Is it something you call women as opposed to men? Please be descriptive on what being called a dingbat under this circumstances mean.



Alice

Answer 5

Dingbat isn't a sexist term. It is meant to insult a person's intelligence. Synonyms for the word could be idiot, fool, dumbbell, etc.

Answer 6

What Is A Dingbat

Answer 7

Dingbat is a baseball terminology referring to a bat that you can hit a home run with,which is why a home run is sometimes is called a dinger

Answer 8

You can call either gender a "dingbat." It simply means you're stupid.

Answer 9

It's the female version of being called meat head.

Answer 10

ALICE, YOU'RE A DINGBAT.



SEE, IT HAS A NICE FLOW TO IT.

Answer 11

He basically called you stupid. It's not sexist, though. It's like if he called you a moron.

Answer 12

It isn't sexist. It is an insult to your intelligence.

Answer 13

A dim light bulb.

Answer 14

well if you have to ask then its probably true

Answer 15

moron, basically