Word
herbert
Phoneticsher·bert
/ˈhɝbɝt/
Definitions
01a foolish person
n. a person who is silly, annoying, or not very important.
n. a mildly derogatory term for a foolish, insignificant, or socially awkward individual.
“Don't listen to him; he's just some herbert who doesn't know what he's talking about.”
“The manager dismissed the complaint, viewing the customer as just another annoying herbert with too much time on his hands.”
British English · Slang · Informal
Usage
Usually used with 'some' or 'a bit of a'.
Teaching tip
This term is somewhat dated and primarily British; it is less aggressive than 'idiot' but still dismissive.
02a working-class youth
n. a young man from a working-class background, often seen as unrefined.
n. a slang term for a working-class youth, typically implying a lack of sophistication or a tendency toward minor trouble.
“A group of local herberts were hanging around the shopping centre all afternoon.”
“The film depicts the lives of suburban herberts in the 1970s, capturing their fashion and rebellious attitudes.”
British English · Slang · Informal
Teaching tip
Often carries a class-based connotation; use with caution as it can sound patronising.
Etymology
From Old French Herbert, from Frankish *Hariberht.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/herbert