imbecile
[ im-buh-sil, -suh l or, esp. British, -seel ]
/ ˈɪm bə sɪl, -səl or, esp. British, -ˌsil /
noun
Informal. a dunce; blockhead; dolt: Don't stand there like an imbecile. Open the door!.
Psychology. (no longer in technical use; now considered offensive) a person of the second order in a former and discarded classification of mental retardation, above the level of idiocy, having a mental age of seven or eight years and an intelligence quotient of 25 to 50.
adjective
Informal. stupid; silly; absurd.
Usually Offensive. showing mental feebleness or incapacity.
Archaic. weak or feeble.
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Origin of imbecile
1540–50; earlier imbecill < Latin imbēcillus weak; -ile replacing -ill by confusion with suffix -ile
OTHER WORDS FROM imbecile
im·be·cil·ic, adjectiveim·be·cile·ly, adverbWords nearby imbecile
imare, imaret, imari ware, imax, imbalance, imbecile, imbecilic, imbecility, imbed, imbedding, imbibe
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for imbecile
British Dictionary definitions for imbecile
imbecile
noun (ˈɪmbɪˌsiːl, -ˌsaɪl)
psychol a person of very low intelligence (IQ of 25 to 50), usually capable only of guarding himself against danger and of performing simple mechanical tasks under supervision
informal an extremely stupid person; dolt
adjective Also: imbecilic (ˌɪmbɪˈsɪlɪk)
of or like an imbecile; mentally deficient; feeble-minded
stupid or senselessan imbecile thing to do
Derived forms of imbecile
imbecilely or imbecilically, adverbimbecility, nounWord Origin for imbecile
C16: from Latin imbēcillus feeble (physically or mentally)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Medical definitions for imbecile
imbecile
[ ĭm′bə-sĭl, -səl ]
n.
A person of moderate to severe mental retardation having a mental age of from three to seven years and generally being capable of some degree of communication and performance of simple tasks under supervision. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.
Other words from imbecile
im′be•cil′i•ty (-sĭl′ĭ•tē) n.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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