idiot
[ id-ee-uht ]
/ ˈɪd i ət /
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noun
Informal. an utterly foolish or senseless person: If you think you can wear that outfit to a job interview and get hired, you're an idiot!
Psychology. (no longer in technical use; considered offensive) a person of the lowest order in a former and discarded classification of mental retardation, having a mental age of less than three years old and an intelligence quotient under 25.
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Origin of idiot
1250–1300; Middle English <Latin idiōta<Greek idiṓtēs private person, layman, person lacking skill or expertise, equivalent to idiō- (lengthened variant of idio-idio-, perhaps by analogy with stratiōtēs professional soldier, derivative of stratiá army) + -tēs agent noun suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM idiot
id·i·ot·ic, adjectiveWords nearby idiot
idiopathy, idiophone, idioplasm, idiosyncrasy, idiosyncratic, idiot, idiot board, idiot box, idiot card, idiotic, idiotism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for idiot
British Dictionary definitions for idiot
idiot
/ (ˈɪdɪət) /
noun
a person with severe mental retardation
a foolish or senseless person
Word Origin for idiot
C13: from Latin idiōta ignorant person, from Greek idiōtēs private person, one who lacks professional knowledge, ignoramus; see idio-
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for idiot
idiot
[ ĭd′ē-ət ]
n.
A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally being unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.
Other words from idiot
id′i•ot′ic (-ŏt′ĭk) adj.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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