moron
noun
a person who is notably stupid or lacking in good judgment.
moron
1 American
[mawr-on]
/ ˈmɔr ɒn /
noun
-
Informal. a person who is notably stupid or lacking in good judgment.
I wonder why they elected that narrow-minded moron to Congress.
-
Psychology. (no longer in technical use; now considered offensive) a person of borderline intelligence in a former and discarded classification of intellectual disability, having an intelligence quotient of 50 to 69.
Morón
2
American
[maw-rohn, maw-rawn]
/ mɔˈroʊn, mɔˈrɔn /
noun
moron
British
/ mɒˈrɒnɪk, ˈmɔːrɒn /
noun
-
a foolish or stupid person
-
a person having an intelligence quotient of between 50 and 70, able to work under supervision
Usage
More context on moron Calling someone a moron is all in good fun, right? Not so much. While moron can sound like a simple schoolyard taunt, the term was originally used by psychologists to classify someone as having mild intellectual disabilities. What’s more, prominent psychologists, notably Henry H. Goddard, who used the label moron promoted eugenics. Moron is no longer in use as a medical term, and it’s offensive and ableist to equate someone you think is acting foolish to a person with a disability. If knowing the history of moron has got you reflecting on your word choices, this slideshow, "These Common Words Have Offensive Histories," discusses many other words whose place in your vocab you may want to reconsider.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of moron
An Americanism first recorded in 1905–10; from Greek mōrón, neuter of mōrós “foolish, dull”
Explanation
When your little brother does something that is both stupid and infuriating, you'll have to bite your tongue to keep from calling him a moron. A moron is an unkind way to describe someone who is foolish and unintelligent. The word moron was an official term in the early 1900s, used to describe a person of low intelligence — specifically, an "adult with a mental age between eight and twelve." It became a popular insult in the 1920s, and gradually stopped being used as a medical term, until moron was only an informal way to put someone down.
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.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares earlier said that his government would only allow the use of the Naval Base Rota and Moron Air Base for activities consistent with the United Nations Charter.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
The mummies were found in unusual positions and with a mix of textiles that pointed to the influence of Spanish colonials, added field manager Manuel Moron.
From Reuters • Oct. 13, 2022
Loren Moron lobbed in Espanyol’s only goal with an audacious strike from near the midfield line in stoppage time that caught goalie Matías Dituro out of position.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 17, 2021
On Saturday night, the White House announced that Spain had agreed to temporarily house transiting evacuees from Afghanistan at military bases in Rota and Moron.
From Washington Post • Aug. 21, 2021
So anyway, as Moron and I walked to the lake he told me about the Scalectrix he’d got for Christmas.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
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.
