imbecile

[im-buh-sil, -suhl, -seel]

noun

1. Informal.,  a dunce; blockhead; dolt.

   Don't stand there like an imbecile. Open the door!

2. Psychology.,  (no longer in technical use; now considered offensive) a person of the second order in a former and discarded classification of intellectual disability, above the level of idiocy, having a mental age of seven or eight years and an intelligence quotient of 25 to 50.

adjective

1. Informal.,  stupid; silly; absurd.

2. Usually Offensive.,  showing mental feebleness or incapacity.

3. Archaic.,  weak or feeble.

imbecile

noun

1. 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

2. informal,  an extremely stupid person; dolt

adjective

1. of or like an imbecile; mentally deficient; feeble-minded

2. stupid or senseless

   an imbecile thing to do

Other Word Forms

• imbecilic adjective
• imbecilely adverb
• imbecility noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of imbecile¹

First recorded in 1540–50; earlier imbecill, from Latin imbēcillus “weak”; -ile replacing -ill by confusion with suffix -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of imbecile¹

C16: from Latin imbēcillus feeble (physically or mentally)

Example Sentences

Even the imbeciles at the White House know that if you are trying to communicate with the president of Russia, you ask ChatGPT to write your sub-Hallmark prose in Russian.

From Salon

It is claimed he swore at and insulted staff, bawling someone out as an "imbecile" for not using the Queen Mother's full title.

From BBC

"I am an imbecile," the man said to the couple as he contemplated taking the long journey back.

From BBC

Bukele, who ran as an anti-corruption crusader, vowing to break with past leaders on the left and right implicated in graft, has denied insinuations that he has enriched himself in office, calling critics “imbeciles.”

From Los Angeles Times

Tungay said he was "treating the French like imbeciles, making all these so-called tough declarations when the record is so catastrophic".

From BBC