# where did the word nimrod come from?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 27, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370 "2005-04-27T14:28:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![saluki\_fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@saluki\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saluki_fan)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370/1 "2005-04-27T14:28:07Z")

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where did the word nimrod come from? I can’t immagine it being derived over thousands of years from a given culture’s language, but perhaps I’m wrong.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370/2 "2005-04-27T14:35:54Z")

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Etymology: Hebrew NimrOdh ( from [www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com) )

What is it that you can’t imagine exactly?

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370/3 "2005-04-27T14:36:39Z")

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It’s from the Bible:

[Genesis 10:8-10](http://bible.gospelcom.net/passage/?search=Genesis%2010:8-10)

> [@](#):
>
> 8 Cush was the father [a] of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in \*\* Shinar. [c]

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370/4 "2005-04-27T14:37:38Z")

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[A much better etymology:](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=nimrod)

> [@](#):
>
> ## also Nimrod A hunter. Informal. A person regarded as silly, foolish, or stupid.
> 
> [After Nimrod. Sense 2, probably from the phrase “poor little Nimrod,” used by the cartoon character Bugs Bunny to mock the hapless hunter Elmer Fudd.]

Daniel

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**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370/5 "2005-04-27T14:39:39Z")

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Maybe \*\*saluki\_fan \*\* is asking how Nimrod, the ancient hunter, became synonymous with idiot.

According to the word detective, [it’s all because of Bugs Bunny.](http://www.word-detective.com/100699.html#assassinnimrod)

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**Author:** ![Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoodoo_Ulove)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-the-word-nimrod-come-from/301370/6 "2005-04-27T14:40:21Z")

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People seem to use it as an insult. Why?