idiot

See also: Idiot and IDiot

English

Alternative forms

eejit (Irish English, eye dialect)
idjit, idget (eye dialect)

Etymology

From Middle English idiote, ydiote, from Old French idiote (later idiot), from Latin idiota, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “a private citizen, one who has no professional knowledge, layman”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “one's own, pertaining to oneself, private”). Doublet of idiota.

Pronunciation

(UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈɪd.i.(j)ɪt/, /ˈɪd.i.(j)ət/
Audio (US) (file)

Noun

idiot (plural idiots)

(derogatory) A person of low general intelligence.
(derogatory) A person who makes stupid decisions; a fool.
We think that people who cycle without a helmet are idiots.
(obsolete, medicine, psychology) A person of the lowest intellectual standing, a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old; a person with an IQ below 30.

Usage notes

While pejorative, the word is only a weak insult, and between close friends or family members it may be used affectionately.

Synonyms

See also Thesaurus:idiot

Antonyms

genius

Derived terms

covidiot
dipshidiot
Floridiot
IDiot
idiot board
idiot box
idiot card
idioted
idiotese
idiotfest
idiot girl
idiotic
idiotish
idiotism
idiotist
idiotize
idiot light
idiotlike
idiotly
idiot mittens
idiotor
idiotorial
idiot-proof
idiotry
idiot sheet
idiot string
idiot tape
Idiotville
kiddiot
mediot
pyramidiot
radiot
televidiot
twidiot
useful idiot
vidiot
village idiot

Related terms

idiocy
idiom
idiosyncratic
idiotic
idiotically
idiot savant
useful idiot

Translations

person of low general intelligence

Albanian: idiot (sq) m
Arabic: أَحْمَق‎ m (ʾaḥmaq), غَبِيّ‎ m (ḡabiyy), مُغَفَّل‎ m (muḡaffal)
Hijazi Arabic: غَبي‎ m (ḡabi), أهْبَل‎ m (ʾahbal), ْأبْلَه‎ m (ʾablah), سَبَك‎ m (sabak)
Armenian: ապուշ (hy) (apuš), հիմար (hy) (himar), էշ (hy) (ēš)
Azerbaijani: idiot (az), axmaq (az)
Basque: ergel
Belarusian: ду́рань m (dúranʹ), ідыёт m (idyjót), ідыётка f (idyjótka)
Bengali: মূর্খ (bn) (mūrkh), বেক্কল (bekkôlô)
Bikol Central: dangag (bcl), patal (bcl)
Bulgarian: идио́т (bg) m (idiót), абда́л (bg) m (abdál), идио́тка f (idiótka), ахма́к (bg) m (ahmák), глупа́к (bg) m (glupák), глупа́чка f (glupáčka)
Burmese: ဗာလ (my) (bala.)
Catalan: idiota (ca) m or f
Chichewa: chitsiru
Chinese:
Cantonese: 死蠢 (sei² ceon²), 白痴 (baak⁶ ci¹)
Mandarin: 白痴 (zh) (báichī), 傻子 (zh) (shǎzi), 蠢貨／蠢货 (zh) (chǔnhuò), 傻瓜 (zh) (shǎguā), 笨蛋 (zh) (bèndàn), 蠢材 (zh) (chǔncái), 呆子 (zh) (dāizi)
Czech: idiot (cs) m, idiotka f
Danish: idiot c, nar c, fjols n
Dutch: idioot (nl) m
Esperanto: idioto
Estonian: idioot
Finnish: idiootti (fi), hölmö (fi), pöljä (fi), törttö, typerys (fi), urpo (fi)
French: idiot (fr) m, idiote (fr) f
Galician: babeco (gl) m, parvo (gl) m, mascato m, babiolo (gl) m, doudo m, pallouco m, lores m, paspán (gl) m, alpabarda (gl) m, mouco (gl) m, marmeco m, láparo m, inteño m, miñoto m, bouto m, idiota m
Georgian: იდიოტი (idioṭi)
German: Idiot (de) m, Idiotin (de) f, Narr (de) m, Närrin (de) f
Greek: βλάκας (el) m (vlákas), ηλίθιος (el) m (ilíthios)
Ancient: βλάξ m (bláx)
Hebrew: אִידְיוֹט‎ (he) m (idyót), גולם \\ גֹּלֶם‎ (he) (gólem)
Hindi: मूर्ख (hi) m (mūrkh), बुद्धू m (buddhū), उल्लू (hi) m (ullū), बेवक़ूफ़ m (bevqūf)
Hungarian: idióta (hu), (colloquial) hülye (hu), (literary) félkegyelmű (hu)
Icelandic: hálviti m, asni (is) m, grasasni (is) m, skynskiptingur m (obsolete)
Indonesian: bodoh (id)
Irish: amadán, dúramán m
Italian: idiota (it) m or f, squasimodeo m
Japanese: 馬鹿 (ja) (ばか, baka), あほ (ja) (aho), 白痴 (ja) (はくち, hakuchi), 戯け者 (たわけもの, tawakemono, おどけもの, odokemono)
Kazakh: ақымақ (kk) (aqymaq), идиот (idiot)
Khmer: ល្ងីល្ងើ (km) (lngii lngəə)
Korean: 백치(白癡)(白痴) (baekchi), 바보 (ko) (babo), 등신(等神) (ko) (deungsin), 멍청이 (ko) (meongcheong'i), 천치(天癡)(天痴) (ko) (cheonchi)
Kyrgyz: акмак (ky) (akmak), идиот (ky) (idiot)
Ladin: totl m, musciat
Lao: ຄົນບັດຊົບ (khon bat sop), ຄົນໂງ່ (khon ngō), ໂງ່ (ngō)
Latin: blennus m, idiota m, fungus m
Latvian: idiots m, idiote f, muļķis (lv) m, muļķe f, duraks (lv) m
Lithuanian: idiotas m
Luhya: omsilu
Macedonian: абдал m (abdal), идио́т m (idiót), идио́тка f (idiótka)
Malay: bodoh (ms)
Manx: thoot m
Maori: hukehuke, heahea, rorirori, pōhauhau, hākawa
Middle English: sot
Mongolian:
Cyrillic: эргүү тэнэг (ergüü teneg), зүүлэг (mn) (züüleg), тэнэг (mn) (teneg)
Ngazidja Comorian: ɗaɓa class 5/6
Norman: peûle m
Norwegian:
Bokmål: idiot (no) m, narr (no) m
Nynorsk: idiot m
Old English: unwita m
Persian: احمق‎ (fa) (ahmaq), کودن‎ (fa) (kowdan), خنگ‎ (fa) (xeng), ابله‎ (fa) (ablah), کانا‎ (fa) (kânâ)
Plautdietsch: Eefelt m, Dommajon m
Polish: idiota (pl) m, idiotka (pl) f, głupek (pl) m, głupiec (pl) m, dureń (pl) m
Portuguese: idiota (pt) m or f
Punjabi: ਮੂਰਖ (mūrakh)
Romanian: idiot (ro) m, idioată (ro) f, idioți pl, idioate f pl
Russian: идио́т (ru) m (idiót), идио́тка (ru) f (idiótka), дура́к (ru) m (durák), ду́ра (ru) f (dúra), ду́рень (ru) m (dúrenʹ), глупе́ц (ru) m (glupéc)
Sanskrit: मूढ (sa) m (mūḍha), निर्बुद्धि (sa) m (nirbuddhi), मूर्ख (sa) m (mūrkha), जल (sa) m (jala)
Scots: stookie
Scottish Gaelic: amadan m, òinseach f, burraidh m
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: идѝот m, идѝоткиња f
Roman: idìot (sh) m, idìotkinja (sh) f
Slovak: idiot m, idiotka f
Slovene: idiot m, tepec m
Spanish: idiota (es) m or f
Swahili: mjinga (sw), kichwamaji (sw)
Swedish: idiot (sv) c, narr (sv) c
Tagalog: bobo (tl), tanga, ungas
Tajik: аблаҳ (tg) (ablah), аҳмақ (tg) (ahmaq)
Tatar: ахмак (tt) (axmaq)
Telugu: వెధవ (vedhava)
Thai: คนโง่ (kon-ngôo), ไอ้งั่ง, คนโง่เง่า, คนบ้า, คนปัญญาอ่อน, โง่ (th) (ngôo), ควาย (th) (kwaai)
Turkish: salak (tr), ahmak (tr), aptal (tr), geri zekâlı
Turkmen: akmak (tk)
Ukrainian: ідіо́т m (idiót), ідіо́тка f (idiótka), ду́рень (uk) m (dúrenʹ), йо́лоп (uk) m (jólop)
Urdu: مورکھ‎ m (mūrkh), بیوقوف‎ m (bēvaqūf), الو‎ m (ullū), بدھو‎ m (buddhū)
Uyghur: ئەخمەق‎ (exmeq)
Uzbek: idiot, ahmoq (uz)
Vietnamese: thằng ngốc, thằng ngu
Volapük: (♂♀) diotan (vo), (♂) hidiotan, (♀) jidiotan
Welsh: twpsyn m, ynfytyn (cy) m
Yiddish: אידיאָט‎ m (idyot)

person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old

Bulgarian: идиот (bg) m (idiot)
Dutch: idioot (nl) m
Greek: ιδιώτης (el) m (idiótis), μικρόνους (el) m (mikrónous)
Latvian: idiots m, idiote f
Persian: کالیو‎ (fa) (kâliv)

Adjective

idiot (comparative more idiot, superlative most idiot)

(uncommon) idiotic, stupid

Translations

idiotic — see idiotic

Czech

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈɪdɪjot]
Hyphenation: idiot

Noun

idiot m anim (feminine idiotka)

(mildly vulgar) idiot (disliked or slow-witted person)
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:hlupák
idiot (person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old)

Declension

Declension of idiot

	singular	plural
nominative	idiot	idioti, idiotové
genitive	idiota	idiotů
dative	idiotovi, idiotu	idiotům
accusative	idiota	idioty
vocative	idiote	idioti, idiotové
locative	idiotovi, idiotu	idiotech
instrumental	idiotem	idioty

Related terms

idiotský
idiocie

Danish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs).

Noun

idiot

(derogatory) an idiot, imbecile, fool

Derived terms

idiotsikker
kraftidiot

References

“idiot” in Den Danske Ordbog

French

Etymology

From Old French idiot (cf. also the older form idiote), borrowed from Latin idiōta, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “layman”) from ἴδιος (ídios, “private”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /i.djo/
audio (file)
Homophone: idiots
Rhymes: -jo

Adjective

idiot (feminine idiote, masculine plural idiots, feminine plural idiotes)

idiotic; stupid

Noun

idiot m (plural idiots, feminine idiote)

idiot

Derived terms

idiot du village

Descendants

→ Polish: idiota

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs).

Noun

idiot m (definite singular idioten, indefinite plural idioter, definite plural idiotene)

(derogatory) an idiot, imbecile, fool

Derived terms

idiotsikker
kraftidiot
kronidiot

References

“idiot” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs).

Noun

idiot m (definite singular idioten, indefinite plural idiotar, definite plural idiotane)

(derogatory) an idiot, imbecile, fool

Derived terms

idiotsikker
kraftidiot
kronidiot

References

“idiot” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old French

Alternative forms

idiote

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin idiōta, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “layman”) from ἴδιος (ídios, “private”).

Adjective

idiot m (oblique and nominative feminine singular idiote)

ignorant; narrow-minded

Usage notes

The form idiote was sometimes used as both masculine and feminine, as a direct borrowing from Latin idiota.

Descendants

→ English: idiot
French: idiot

References

Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (idiot, supplement)

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French idiot, itself borrowed from Latin idiōta, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “layman”) from ἴδιος (ídios, “private”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /i.diˈot/

Noun

idiot m (plural idioți, feminine equivalent idioată)

idiot, moron, imbecile

Declension

Declension of idiot

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) idiot	idiotul	(niște) idioți	idioții
genitive/dative	(unui) idiot	idiotului	(unor) idioți	idioților
vocative	idiotule		idioților

Synonyms

prost, tâmpit, imbecil, cretin

Adjective

idiot m or n (feminine singular idioată, masculine plural idioți, feminine and neuter plural idioate)

stupid, idiotic, foolish, absurd

Declension

Declension of idiot

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	idiot		idioată	idioți	idioate
nominative/ accusative	definite	idiotul		idioata	idioții	idioatele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	idiot		idioate	idioți	idioate
genitive/ dative	definite	idiotului		idioatei	idioților	idioatelor

Synonyms

prost, tâmpit, stupid

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Latin idiōta, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “a private citizen, one who has no professional knowledge, layman”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /idǐot/
Hyphenation: i‧di‧ot

Noun

idìot m (Cyrillic spelling идѝот)

idiot

Declension

Declension of idiot

	singular	plural
nominative	idiot	idioti
genitive	idiota	idiota
dative	idiotu	idiotima
accusative	idiota	idiote
vocative	idiote	idioti
locative	idiotu	idiotima
instrumental	idiotom	idiotima

Slovak

Etymology

From Latin idiōta, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “a private citizen, one who has no professional knowledge, layman”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈidiɔt/

Noun

idiot m (genitive singular idiota, nominative plural idioti, genitive plural idiotov, declension pattern of chlap)

(derogatory) idiot

Declension

Declension of idiot

	singular	plural
nominative	idiot	idioti
genitive	idiota	idiotov
dative	idiotovi	idiotom
accusative	idiota	idiotov
locative	idiotovi	idiotoch
instrumental	idiotom	idiotmi

Derived terms

idiotický
idioticky
idiotstvo
idiotizmus

Swedish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “a private citizen, one who has no professional knowledge, layman”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “one's own, pertaining to oneself, private”).

Pronunciation

audio (file)

Noun

idiot c

(derogatory) idiot

Declension

Declension of idiot
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	idiot	idioten	idioter	idioterna
Genitive	idiots	idiotens	idioters	idioternas

Derived terms

idiotanstalt
idiotförklara
idiothem
idiotskola
idiotsäker
idiotundervisning
idiotvård

Related terms

idioti
idiotisera
idiotisk

idiot

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Usage notes

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

Translations

Czech

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Related terms

Further reading

Danish

Etymology

Noun

Derived terms

References

French

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Noun

Derived terms

Descendants

Further reading

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Noun

Derived terms

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Noun

Derived terms

References

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Adjective

Usage notes

Descendants

References

Romanian

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Synonyms

Adjective

Declension

Synonyms

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

See also

Slovak

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Derived terms

See also

Further reading

Swedish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms