ship of fools

noun

A country or organization that is poorly run by leaders who lack the expertise to cope with the problems that arise and equally inexpert subjects or members who attempt to influence those leaders.

OriginGerman Narrenschiff →
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Meanings

nounship of fools (plural ships of fools)

plural ships of fools

  1. A country or organization that is poorly run by leaders who lack the expertise to cope with the problems that arise and equally inexpert subjects or members who attempt to influence those leaders.

    Ooh, do we not sail on the ship of fools? / Ooh, why is life so precious and so cruel?

    1998 April 10, “Ship of Fools”, in The Innocents, performed by Erasure
    2 more examples

    Don’t tell us you need us, / ‘cause we’re the ship of fools; / looking for America, / coming through your schools!

    1985 September 10, “We Built This City”, in Knee Deep In The Hoopla, performed by Starship

    On the edge of oblivion / and all the world is Babylon; / and all the love, and everyone: / a ship of fools, sailing on.

    1986 October 14, “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”, in Mosaic, performed by Wang Chung

Origin

  1. GermanNarrenschiff
  2. Englishship of fools

From ship + of + fools, a calque of German Narrenschiff. From a German poem named "Narrenschiff", published in 1494 by Sebastian Brant, about a ship carrying 112 passengers, each of whom represents a specific human foible, which sails into oblivion. The poem was translated into English in 1509 by Alexander Barclay. Brant may have been inspired by an allegory that first appeared in Book VI of Plato's Republic, about a ship with a dysfunctional crew.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch narrenschip
  • narrenschipTranslations
French nef des fous
  • nef des fousTranslations
Latin stultifera navis
  • stultifera navisTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

ship of fools. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ship%20of%20fools

MLA

“ship of fools.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ship%20of%20fools. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ship of fools,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ship%20of%20fools.

Source: ship of fools on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.