plural dunces
old-fashioned
: someone who is stupid or slow at learning things
Don't be a dunce.
a dunce/dunce's cap [=a tall pointy hat worn in the past by students as a punishment for failing to learn their lessons]
Cite this Entry
“Dunce.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/dunce. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
