imbecile Definition
im·becile (im′bə sil, -səl; Brit, -sēl′, -sīl′)
noun
- Obsolete a retarded person mentally equal to a child between three and eight years old
- a very foolish or stupid person
Etymology: Fr imbécile < L imbecilis, imbecillus, feeble, weak, prob. < in-, without + baculus, staff (see bacillus): hence “without support”
adjective
very foolish or stupid
imbecile Synonyms
imbecile Usage Examples
Converse of object
- babble: It was also utterly apparent that our new minister for constitutional affairs appeared to be nothing less than a babbling incoherent imbecile.
- orphan: As one consideration, one may want to say of Singer's orphaned imbecile that it has suffered a tragedy.
Adjective modifier
- brainless: Exactly who is the " brainless imbecile " you are referring to?
- utter: Only an utter imbecile could go backward from that.â Dutton did not go backward.
- absolute: He is not a bad fellow, tho an absolute imbecile in his profession.
- complete: Will he tell us which complete imbecile drew up the contracts governing the surgical center?
- incoherent: It was also utterly apparent that our new minister for constitutional affairs appeared to be nothing less than a babbling incoherent imbecile.
- incompetent: Gilbert Murray MP From: James Bell To: Gilbert Murray Subject: Re: What kind of incompetent imbeciles are these people?
Modifies a noun
- inmate: On the first and second floors were wards for imbecile inmates, with two padded rooms.
- ward: The original infirmary at the west of the site also included imbecile wards.
- block: Rochdale imbecile blocks from the west, 2000. © Peter Higginbotham.
- pick: I also like the description of the sales staff: Roving imbecile staff pick on the weak and ignore everyone else.
- child: In 1876-8, the Metropolitan Asylums Board erected a residential institution for imbecile children at Darenth in Kent.
Browse dictionary entries near imbecile
- ‹ imbalance of orders
- ‹ imbalance
- ‹ imaret
- ‹ IMAP
- ‹ imamate
- ‹ imam
- ‹ imago
- ‹ imagism
- ‹ imaging
- ‹ imagined
- imbecilic ›
- imbecility ›
- imbed ›
- imbibe ›
- imbibition ›
- imbitter ›
- imbricate ›
- imbrication ›
- imbroglio ›
- imbrue ›

