mouth breather
Oral air inhaler
A mouth breather is literally someone who breathes through their mouth rather than their nose, often due to congestion or anatomical issues.
The term has become a common insult suggesting stupidity or social awkwardness—the image of someone slack-jawed and vacant: Don't be such a mouth breather.
The pejorative sense dominates casual usage.
Foolish, senseless person
- moronWitless, dense person
- simpletonUnintelligent person
- dullardSlow-witted person
- dimwitFoolish, slow person
dunce · blockhead · knucklehead · oaf · dope · fool · imbecile · nincompoop
Blocked breathing passage
- deviated septumMisaligned nasal partition
- allergiesAdverse immune responses
- congestionExcessive accumulation causing blockage
- adenoidsNasal lymphoid tissue
nasal polyps · sinusitis · sleep apnea · snoring · rhinitis · asthma · tonsillitis · CPAP
idiot
Foolish, senseless person
dimwit · dunce · blockhead · knucklehead · oaf · dope · fool · imbecile · nincompoop · buffoon
nasal obstruction
Blocked breathing passage
- deviated septumMisaligned nasal partition
- allergiesAdverse immune responses
- congestionExcessive accumulation causing blockage
adenoids · nasal polyps · sinusitis · sleep apnea · snoring · rhinitis · asthma · tonsillitis · CPAP · chronic
- sleep typessnoring, insomnia, light sleeper, heavy sleeper, night owl
mouth breathergenius
Person of rare brilliance
intellectual · brainiac · sophisticate · sharp mind · quick wit
mouth breathersophisticate
Worldly, cultured person
cosmopolitan · man of the world · woman of the world · highbrow · connoisseur
mouth, breather, mouths, mouthed, mouthing, mouthy, breathe, breath, breaths