noun

dingbat

DING-bat/ˈdɪŋbæt/

A foolish or eccentric person.

The woman acts like a dingbat, sawing through the branch supporting her.

A woman foolishly saws through the very branch she is sitting on, with the cut clearly between her seat and the tree trunk.

Etymology

Dingbat has an unknown origin and served as a catch-all name for miscellaneous things and people. Its “foolish person” sense was established before television popularized it.

More examples

Some dingbat parked right across our driveway.
The neighbors call him a dingbat because he sings to his mailbox.
We felt like dingbats after waiting at the wrong gate.

Forms

dingbat · dingbats

Similar words

fool: Emphasizes poor judgment rather than odd or eccentric behavior.
eccentric: Describes an unconventional person without necessarily implying foolishness.