Walter Mitty



Walter Mitty

A person, generally quite ordinary or ineffectual, who indulges in fantastic daydreams of personal triumphs. For example, He's a Walter Mitty about riding in a rodeo but is actually afraid of horses. This term comes from James Thurber's short story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1939), describing just such a character.

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Yuiyoo-eeJapanese
Beatrizbe-ah-TREETH (Spanish), be-ah-TREES (Latin American Spanish), be-a-TREES (Portuguese), be-a-TREESH (Portuguese)Spanish, Portuguese
HenryHEN-reeEnglish
EugeneYOO-jeen, yoo-JEENEnglish
Hirune-Basque
Brynmor-Welsh