Etymology

cidiot

C3I1D2I1O1T1

Today it means: An idiot from the city. Full definition →

English idiot ← Middle English ydiote ← Old French idiote
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱey-
  2. Proto-Italic*keiwis
  3. Latinceivis
  4. Latinceivitās
  5. Late Latincīvitātem (city)
  6. Old Frenchcitet
  7. Middle Englishcite
  8. Englishcity
  9. Proto-Indo-European*swé
  10. Proto-Indo-European*swéd-yo-s
  11. Proto-Hellenic*hwédios
  12. Ancient Greekἴδιος (ídios)
  13. Ancient Greekἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs)
  14. Latinidiota
  15. Old Frenchidiote
  16. Middle Englishydiote
  17. Englishidiot
  18. English todaycidiot

Blend of city + idiot.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.