imbecile

[ im-buh-sil, -suhlor, especially British, -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

Derived Forms

• ˌimbeˈcility, noun
• ˈimbeˌcilely, adverb

Other Words From

• im·be·cil·ic adjective
• im·be·cile·ly adverb

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

He pointed to unvaccinated people who are “clogging” up overwhelmed hospitals, calling them “imbeciles” and “nut jobs” and suggesting that doctors and nurses not treat those who have not taken a coronavirus vaccine.

From Washington Post

Of all the problems in this country, that is what this imbecile is focused on.

From The Daily Beast

I was hooked: Beckham was a brilliant imbecile, and England was my squad.

From The Daily Beast

In his youth, however, though too imbecile for study or for business, he was not incapable of being amused.

From Project Gutenberg

He just wrote things, things that he thought were adequately imbecile, and shot them into letter-boxes.

From Project Gutenberg

Good people, especially good women of the old type, would all counsel the imbecile sacrifice.

From Project Gutenberg

Imbecile children are to be kept in the workhouse till they are five years old, and may then be sent to the asylum at Darenth.

From Project Gutenberg

You, poor imbecile, who carry under your hauberk four relics blessed by the Pope!

From Project Gutenberg