What is a Dotard? North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent many on social media scramming for their dictionaries when he used the word to describe President Donald Trump in his latest war-of-words with him, The Washington Post reported.
In response to Trump targeting him in his United Nations' speech earlier in the week, Kim said in a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency: "I will surely and definitely tame the deranged U.S. dotard with fire."
The response came after Trump derided the North Korean leader as "Rocket Man" in his speech to world leaders on Tuesday.
"The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea," Trump said in his U.N. statement. "Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary."
According to Oxford dictionaries, a dotard is "an old person, especially one who has become weak or senile."
Merriam-Webster reported Thursday that Kim's used of the world had sent "dotard" trending in searches.
"The word as used today commonly means 'a person in his or her dotage' (dotage is 'a state or period of senile decay marked by decline of mental poise and alertness)," Merriam-Webster said. "Dotard, which comes from the Middle English word doten (meaning 'to dote'), initially had the meaning of 'imbecile' when it began being used in the 14th century."
Many on social media posted about the international name-calling.
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