dunce
UK[dʌns]US[dʌns]
n
A person who is slow at learning or stupid.
Etymology
The word 'dunce' originates from the name of John Duns Scotus, a highly influential 13th-century Scottish scholastic philosopher and theologian. His followers, known as Dunses or Scotists, were later ridiculed by Renaissance humanists and reformers in the 16th century for their resistance to new learning and for what was perceived as overly subtle and obtuse arguments. Over time, the term shifted from referring specifically to his adherents to a general label for anyone considered a dull, obstinate pedant or a person incapable of learning.
Analysis
The word is a simplex. It is a proper name adopted into common usage.
Examples
He was labeled the class dunce for consistently failing the simplest quizzes.
She refused to ask questions, fearing she would look like a dunce in front of her colleagues.
The comedy often featured a bumbling dunce who accidentally solved the mystery.