Poindexter is a term primarily used in North America to describe an individual who is extremely studious but lacks social skills. The term originated in teenage slang in the mid-1980s, inspired by a nerdy character in the TV cartoon show Felix the Cat. This stereotype was further popularized by Arnold Poindexter, a character in the 1984 comedy film Revenge of the Nerds. The surname itself has Norman roots dating back to the thirteenth century, originally spelled as poigndestre and deriving from the words “fist” and “right”. John Poindexter, a notable figure in American politics, also contributed to the association of the name with intellect and social awkwardness. As of 1992, the term poindexterish has been used as an adjective, and an alternate spelling, pointdexter, has started to surface.
