German edit

Etymology edit

From the vernaculars of North Rhine-Westphalia. Possibly from the lullaby verse heia popeia, implying a “benighted” person.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈhaɪ̯oˌpaɪ̯/
  • (file)

Noun edit

Heiopei m (strong, genitive Heiopeis, plural Heiopeis or Heiopeie)

  1. (colloquial, chiefly western Germany) clown, tomfool, bumpkin, (usually male) person who is naive, silly, and/or ridiculous
    Synonyms: Affe, Clown, Horst, Spacken, Spaten, Tölpel, Tünnes