imbecility

[im-buh-sil-i-tee]

See more synonyms for imbecility on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural im·be·cil·i·ties.

an instance or point of weakness; feebleness; incapability.
stupidity; silliness; absurdity.
an instance of this.

Psychology. (no longer in technical use; considered offensive) the state of being an imbecile.

Origin of imbecility

1525–35; earlier imbecillity < Latin imbēcillitās. See imbecile, -ity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for imbecility

madness, rubbish, nonsense, absurdity, tommyrot, twaddle, craziness, lunacy, bunk, indiscretion, stupidity, poppycock, inanity, claptrap, weakness, insensibility, imprudence, insanity, idiocy, tomfoolery

Examples from the Web for imbecility

Contemporary Examples of imbecility

Condescension can be irritating in its expression of hysteria and imbecility, but that comes with freedom of speech.
Obama Loses His Cool
Stanley Crouch
June 9, 2010

Historical Examples of imbecility

Young Lady, who reads Dickens (wiping away the tear of imbecility).
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 7, May 14, 1870
Various
His awkwardness is fearful, and gives the impression of imbecility.
Theaetetus
Plato
Nothing but imbecility or treachery could have controlled his conduct.
Three Years in the Federal Cavalry
Willard Glazier
We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that telegraphic style.
Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad
The only thing that at this distance of time strikes me as miraculous is the extent of my imbecility.
Lord Jim
Joseph Conrad

Word Origin and History for imbecility

early 15c., "physical weakness, feebleness (of a body part), impotence," from Middle French imbécillité and directly from Latin imbecillitatem (nominative imbecillitas) "weakness, feebleness," from imbecillus "weak, feeble," traditionally said to mean "unsupported" (quasi sine baculo), from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + baculum "a stick" (see bacillus). "Weakness in mind" (as opposed to body) was a secondary sense in Latin but was not attested in English until 1620s.