What does idiot mean?

Definitions for idiot
ˈɪd i ətid·iot

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word idiot.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. idiot, imbecile, cretin, moron, changeling, half-wit, retardnoun

    a person of subnormal intelligence

GCIDE

  1. Idiotnoun

    A human being destitute of the ordinary intellectual powers, whether congenital, developmental, or accidental; commonly, a person without understanding from birth; a natural fool. In a former classification of mentally retarded people, idiot designated a person whose adult level of intelligence was equivalent to that of a three-year old or younger; this corresponded with an I.Q. level of approximately 25 or less.

Wiktionary

  1. idiotnoun

    A common term for a person of low general intelligence.

    usage note This may be used pejoratively, as an insult. It is a weak insult, however, and between close friends, family members, or lovers, is often completely nonaggressive.

  2. idiotnoun

    A medical or psychological term meaning a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. IDIOTnoun

    A fool; a natural; a changeling; one without the powers of reason.

    Etymology: idiote, Fr. idiota, Latin; ἰδιώτης.

    Life is a tale,
    Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
    Signifying nothing. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

    What else doth he herein, than by a kind of circumlocution tell his humble suppliants that he holds them idiots, or base wretches, not able to get relief? Walter Raleigh, Essays.

    By idle boys and idiots vilify'd,
    Who me and my calamities deride. George Sandys.

    Many idiots will believe that they see what they only hear. John Dennis.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Idiotnoun

    a man in private station, as distinguished from one holding a public office

  2. Idiotnoun

    an unlearned, ignorant, or simple person, as distinguished from the educated; an ignoramus

  3. Idiotnoun

    a human being destitute of the ordinary intellectual powers, whether congenital, developmental, or accidental; commonly, a person without understanding from birth; a natural fool; a natural; an innocent

  4. Idiotnoun

    a fool; a simpleton; -- a term of reproach

  5. Etymology: [F. idiot, L. idiota an uneducated, ignorant, ill-informed person, Gr. 'idiw`ths, also and orig., a private person, not holding public office, fr. 'i`dios proper, peculiar. See Idiom.]

Wikidata

  1. Idiot

    An idiot, dolt, or dullard is a mentally deficient person, or someone who acts in a self-defeating or significantly counterproductive way. Archaically the word mome has also been used. The similar terms moron, imbecile, and cretin have all gained specialized meanings in modern times. An idiot is said to be idiotic, and to suffer from idiocy. A dunce is an idiot who is specifically incapable of learning. An idiot differs from a fool and an ignoramus, neither of which refers to someone with low intelligence.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Idiot

    id′i-ut, n. one deficient in intellect: a foolish or unwise person.—adj. afflicted with idiocy: idiotic.—v.t. to make idiotic—ns. Id′iocy, Id′iotcy, state of being an idiot: imbecility: folly.—adjs. Idiot′ic, -al, pertaining to or like an idiot: foolish.—adv. Idiot′ically.—adj. Idiot′ish, idiotic.—n. Id′iotism, the state of being an idiot. [Fr.,—L. idiotaidiōtēs, orig. a 'private man,' then a rude person—idios, one's own.]

The New Hacker's Dictionary

  1. idiot

    Synonym for PEBKAC, e.g. “The user is being an idiot”. Tech-support people passing a problem report to someone higher up the food chain (and presumably better equipped to deal with idiots) may ask the user to convey that there seems to be an I-D-ten-T error. Users never twig.

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz

  1. IDIOT

    From Eng. _idea_, and _out_. One who is just out of ideas.

Suggested Resources

  1. idiot

    Song lyrics by idiot -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by idiot on the Lyrics.com website.

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How to pronounce idiot?

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of idiot in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of idiot in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of idiot in a Sentence

  1. Mark Twain:

    God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board

  2. Jana Kramer:

    I saw it, and... my heart just fell. I was like, its here. Its happened again. Im such a f --- ing idiot... Like, how is this happening again ? i dont want to live this kind of life. We just moved into this beautiful house, and we had our second kid, and we fought so hard. Why is this happening again ?

  3. Joy Behar:

    She hasnt denied it, shes just going after Hillary. I just think that she could be a useful idiot the way that Trump is a useful idiot to the Russians.

  4. Colin Wilson:

    This is one of the most urgent problems for civilized man. He has created civilization to give him security. Security for what? For boredom? His chief problem seems to be that most human beings need a certain amount of challenge, of external stimulus, to stop them from sinking into the blank stare and blank consciousness of the idiot.

  5. Edna St. Vincent Millay:

    April comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

idiot#10000#10551#100000

Translations for idiot

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"idiot." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 6 May 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/idiot>.

Discuss these idiot definitions with the community:

1 Comment
  • Dan Dayton
    Dan Dayton
    Idiot : isnt a bad word it just means your different or An outsider. / Someone who doesnt want to be appart of / or partake in with sociaties / doesnt go with popular trends or close styles. /A simple and private man./ A non slave / doesnt identify himself as piece of property-(slave)- one who is not owned by the state / like 90% of non Idiot Americans or i should slaves who claim to be U.S citizens . are in fact considerd property just the same as slaves were called when slavery was legal 
    LikeReply4 years ago

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