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idiot
[ id-ee-uht ]
/ ĖÉŖd i Ét /
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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 intellectual disability, having a mental age of less than three years old and an intelligence quotient under 25.
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Origin of idiot
First recorded in 1250ā1300; Middle English, from Latin idiÅta, from Greek idiį¹tÄs āprivate person, layman, person lacking skill or expertise,ā equivalent to idiÅ- (lengthened variant of idio- idio-, perhaps by analogy with stratiÅtÄs āprofessional soldier,ā derivative of stratiĆ” āarmyā) + -tÄs agent noun suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM idiot
idĀ·iĀ·otĀ·ic [id-ee-ot-ik], /ĖÉŖd iĖÉt ÉŖk/, 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, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use idiot in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for idiot
idiot
/ (ĖÉŖdÉŖÉt) /
noun
a person with severe mental retardation
a foolish or senseless person
Word Origin for idiot
C13: from Latin idiÅta ignorant person, from Greek idiÅtÄs private person, one who lacks professional knowledge, ignoramus; see idio-
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for idiot
idiot
[ Ädā²Ä-Ét ]
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
idā²iā¢otā²ic (-Åtā²Äk) adj.The American HeritageĀ® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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