idiotic
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of an idiot.
-
senselessly foolish or stupid.
an idiotic remark.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- idiotically adverb
- idioticalness noun
Etymology
Origin of idiotic
1705–15; < Late Latin idiōticus < Greek idiōtikós private, ignorant. See idiot, -ic
Explanation
Something that's idiotic is very, very stupid. It would be idiotic to turn down your lottery winnings because you're too lazy to go claim them. An idiotic song is boring, repetitive and has ridiculous lyrics, and an idiotic TV show is badly written and terribly acted. Your dad might describe his dog as idiotic if she manages to find a skunk every single time she goes outdoors. The adjective idiotic is informal, and it comes from the Latin idioticus, "uneducated or ignorant," with the Greek root idiotikos, "unprofessional or unskilled."
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.
There’s nothing idiotic about that—an echo of Beirut long being known as the “Paris of the Middle East.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 14, 2025
Richard Padley, for Peagram, said: "He notes his behaviour as idiotic, immature, embarrassing and pathetic."
From BBC • Oct. 6, 2025
McSweeney debunks the idiotic medical claims of non-scientists like Kennedy in his popular social media videos.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2025
Jake Paul, who pretended to face off with a gorilla in an idiotic Instagram post, should take note.
From Salon • Jun. 1, 2025
She was a dancer, from Santa Fe, with a rubbery face and an idiotic giggle and dimples all over when she smiled.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
