n."foolish person," 1953, OED suggests from earlier cant slang nigmenog "a very silly fellow" (1700). As a term of abuse for a black person, a shortened and reduplicated form of nigger. if (window.googletag) {googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('dcomMobileSERPDisplayTopAd-300x250'); });} else {console.error('googletag not defined, dcomMobileSERPDisplayTopAd-300x250');}