Wimp Is Probably Short for Whimper
A wimp is a weak or timid person. The word appeared in American student slang.
A wimp is a weak, timid or ineffectual person. The origin is uncertain but *whimper* is the strongest candidate, with the word appearing in American college slang in the 1920s and spreading widely in the 1960s. A rival theory points to J. Wellington Wimpy, the hamburger-eating character in *Popeye*, though the dates do not fit well. In computing, WIMP is an unrelated acronym for windows, icons, menus and pointer, coined to describe graphical interfaces.
- A timid person. *Don't be a wimp.*
- To avoid. *Wimping out.*
- Wimpish. *Wimpish behaviour.*
- Whimper — the likely source. *To whimper.*
- American slang — the 1920s. *The origin.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | wimp | A wimp. |
| Plural | wimps | Wimps. |
| Verb | wimp out | Wimping out. |
| Adjective | wimpish | Wimpish. |
| Related | whimper | To whimper. |
- He wimped out at the last minute.Verb.
- A wimpish response.Adjective.
- Probably from whimper.Etymology.
Acronyms that are not the origin
- WIMP in computing means windows, icons, menus, pointer
- It has nothing to do with the insult
- Posh, golf and news have similar false acronym stories
- Backronyms are invented after the word exists
- Genuine acronyms such as radar and laser are documented from the start
Origin uncertain, American slang from the 1920s, probably related to *whimper*.
Is wimp named after the Popeye character?
Probably not. The dates fit poorly, and whimper is the stronger candidate.
What does WIMP mean in computing?
Windows, icons, menus and pointer, an unrelated acronym describing graphical interfaces.