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imbecile Definition

im·becile (imbə sil, -səl; Brit, -sēl′, -sīl′)

noun

  1. Obsolete a retarded person mentally equal to a child between three and eight years old
  2. 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

n.

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

  1. imbalance of orders
  2. imbalance
  3. imaret
  4. IMAP
  5. imamate
  6. imam
  7. imago
  8. imagism
  9. imaging
  10. imagined
  1. imbecilic
  2. imbecility
  3. imbed
  4. imbibe
  5. imbibition
  6. imbitter
  7. imbricate
  8. imbrication
  9. imbroglio
  10. imbrue