butterfingers
MediumInformal, colloquial
Definition
Meaning
A person who is clumsy and frequently drops things.
A nickname or label for someone prone to fumbling or mishandling objects, often used humorously or teasingly.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as a countable noun (often as a nickname or direct address). It implies a temporary or habitual clumsiness with hands, not general awkwardness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage and meaning are identical. Slight potential difference in frequency of associated sports (e.g., cricket in UK, baseball in US contexts).
Connotations
Playful, mildly critical, but not deeply insulting. Often used in sporting or domestic contexts.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties. Perhaps slightly more established in UK English due to longer historical use.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
You butterfingers!Don't be such a butterfingers.He's a real butterfingers with a teacup.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “All fingers and thumbs (similar concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in very informal office banter after a minor accident.
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Common in family, friend, and sports contexts to tease someone who drops something.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Oh no, I dropped my phone! I'm such a butterfingers.
- My brother is a butterfingers. He always drops his plate.
- Pass the ball carefully to James—he's a bit of a butterfingers.
- You butterfingers! You've spilled juice all over the table.
- The wicketkeeper was dubbed a butterfingers by the press after missing three crucial catches.
- I turned into a complete butterfingers whenever I tried to juggle.
- His reputation as a butterfingers in the laboratory meant he was rarely entrusted with the more delicate equipment.
- The nickname 'Butterfingers' stuck with him throughout primary school after the infamous incident with the class hamster.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine fingers so slippery they seem coated in BUTTER, causing you to drop everything.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLUMSINESS IS SLIPPERINESS (of hands/fingers).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation 'масляные пальцы'. Use 'растяпа', 'неуклюжий человек', or 'руки-крюки' (informal).
Common Mistakes
- Using it as an adjective (*'He is very butterfingers.') instead of a noun ('He is a butterfingers.').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'butterfingers' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually playful and mild, not deeply offensive. However, tone and context matter; it could upset someone sensitive about their clumsiness.
No, it is strictly a noun. You say 'He is a butterfingers,' not 'He is butterfingers.'
It originates from the mid-18th century, combining 'butter' (suggesting slipperiness) with 'fingers', implying hands that let things slip away.
The word itself is plural in form ('fingers') and typically treated as singular when referring to one person (e.g., 'She is a butterfingers'). For multiple people, you might say 'They are a bunch of butterfingers.'