egghead

IPA/ˈeɡhed/
KK[ˈɛɡhˌɛd]IPA/ˈeɡhed/

egghead — noun

  • eggheadsingular
  • eggheadsplural

1. someone who is very smart and pays far more attention to books and ideas than to

1.nounC1
Definition

someone who is very smart and pays far more attention to books and ideas than to ordinary social life.

Example

The other kids called Vivek an egghead after lunch in the library.

call someone an egghead

The mayor asked the town egghead to explain the bridge plan.

the town egghead

Common collocations
  • call someone an egghead
  • the class egghead
  • the town egghead
Synonyms
  • intellectual

    more neutral and often respectful; less teasing than egghead

  • bookworm

    focuses on loving books and reading, not necessarily being brilliant

  • nerd

    broader and often friendlier; can cover hobbies like gaming or coding

Antonyms
  • airhead

    insulting opposite for someone seen as silly rather than highly intellectual

Grammar Patterns

call someone an egghead

the class egghead

Usage Note

Often used by other people in a teasing or mildly critical way. It suggests strong academic interests and can imply that the person seems awkward or cut off from everyday fun.

Common Mistakes

Our clever goalkeeper is an egghead because he reads the game well.
The debate team called Elena an egghead because she spent every break discussing philosophy.
egghead refers to someone seen as strongly academic or book-focused, not simply any smart person.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

egghead is usually more mocking than intellectual, which is neutral and can even sound respectful. Bookworm focuses on someone who loves reading and study, but it does not always suggest unusual intelligence. Nerd often points to deep interest in one subject such as coding, comics, or science, and among friends it can be friendly or proud. Geek is similar, but it often highlights strong enthusiasm for a hobby or technical field. Use egghead when you want to stress that someone seems highly academic and a little out of touch with ordinary life. A student who wins every math prize may be called an egghead, while a quiet weekend reader may be better called a bookworm.

intellectual ↗bookworm ↗nerd ↗geek ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • class egghead
  • town egghead
  • egghead student

Phrases

  • call someone an egghead
  • think of someone as an egghead

Etymology

English

egghead appeared in twentieth-century American English as a humorous picture word. It joins egg and head to suggest a smooth, rounded head, then uses that image for a person seen as all brains, very academic, and not especially practical or socially easy. Because of that history, the word still often carries a teasing or slightly critical tone.