adjective
Usage
What are other ways to say fatuous? The adjective fatuous describes people or things that are foolish or inane, especially in an unconscious, complacent manner. Do you know when to use fatuous, foolish, silly, inane, stupid, and asinine? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of fatuous
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin fatuus “silly, foolish, idiotic”; see -ous
Explanation
Fatuous means lacking intelligence. When your mother outlaws calling your brother stupid, use fatuous instead. Fatuous derives from the Latin fatuus meaning "foolish." It sounds like it should have something to do with being fat, but it actually has no relation to size. Fatuus itself comes from a root that also gave us "debate" and this might be a good way to remember it. You want to debate someone who's fatuous, because they are unintelligent, silly and even a bit conceited, so they probably won't be very persuasive debaters. Just don't call them fatuous to their face. Even if they don't know what it means, it's just not nice!
Vocabulary lists containing fatuous
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fatuous American journalists — competitors — but both besotted with the idea of themselves as “war correspondents.”
From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2014
Fatuous, clichéd or selective depictions of Bangkok by visiting filmmakers are so commonplace that foreign residents quickly stop registering them.
From Time • Jun. 20, 2011
"Fatuous bunkum . . . that would make the angels puke." cried James Cameron in the News Chronicle.
From Time Magazine Archive
H. G. Wells in The Fate of Man speaks of the "Fatuous Twenties" and the "Frightened Thirties."
From Time Magazine Archive
"Fatuous, that's what George is, utterly fatuous," he assured himself as he hurried down the steps.
From Poor Relations by MacKenzie, Compton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
