Meanings
idiot1
plural idiots · alternative nonstandard idjit · alternative nonstandard idget · alternative Ireland Scotland nonstandard eejit
- derogatoryA person who makes stupid decisions; a fool.
We think that people who cycle without a helmet are idiots.
3 more examples
He thought people who don't like cricket are idiots. He later got into fights with people who like football.
“He’s an idiot – in terms of saying that. Everybody knows this. Everybody knows it. Nobody doubts it,” Biden said.
2019 October 28, Devan Cole, “Biden calls Trump an ‘idiot’ for dismissing Russian election interference”, in CNN“One of the things that you write so beautifully, and your stuff is so fun to read, but you write about Trump, quote, ‘The way that you build a truly vicious nationalist movement is to wed a relatively small core of belligerent idiots to a much larger group of opportunists and spineless fellow travelers whose primary function is to turn a blind eye to things,’” Kennedy said, reading Taibbi’s own writing back to him.
2024 November 21, Andrew Kaczynski, “RFK Jr. compared Trump to Hitler and praised descriptions of his supporters as ‘Nazis’”, in CNN - obsoletehuman sciencesA 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.
It is an offence for a man to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman whom he knows to be an idiot or imbecile.
1956, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Part I, section 7”, in Sexual Offences Act 1956, page 21 more example
Idiots were thought to be peculiarly under the care of the Deity, and it was believed that those who treated them kindly would be blessed.
1896, Clifton Johnson, “Folks”, in What They Say in New England (non-fiction), Boston, Massachusetts, United States: Lee and Shepard Publishers, page 105
comparative more idiot · superlative most idiot · alternative nonstandard idjit · alternative nonstandard idget · alternative Ireland Scotland nonstandard eejit
IDiot2
plural IDiots
- derogatoryslangA proponent of intelligent design.
Nor does any sane or rational person believe any enzyme fell together all at once purely by chance - that is the domain of creotards, IDiots, and theoloons.
2008 October 17, Prof Weird, “Re: Pretty cool eh?”, in talk.origins (Usenet), message-ID <9f2b4ea1-f138-4ff1-b526-ea6ba94156e4@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com>2 more examples
In his moronic book, _The Design Revolution: Answering the Toughest Questions about Intelligent Design_ (2004), 334pp., the IDiot William Dembski writes on page 305 about how a fellow IDiot was fired from a research position at a "prestigious molecular biology laboratory" the very same day a press story appeared exposing this character as being an IDiot.
2004 March 12, David Ford, “Re: How is this for an ID lesson plan?”, in talk.origins (Usenet), message-ID <b1c67abe.0403121312.35d2e0c@posting.google.com>Thus all sciences, including evolution, are guided by the available objective physical evidence while all creationism regularly rejects any implications of objective physical evidence which does not support their IDiot Bibliolatry.
2012 September 18, Virgil, “Re: Creationists SUICIDAL After Evidence Dumps Them”, in alt.talk.creationism (Usenet), message-ID <virgil-2B02C7.14220718092012@bignews.usenetmonster.com>
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA person of low general intelligence.
nounA 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.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna person of subnormal intelligence
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
idiot · noun, adjective
- Proto-Indo-European*swé
- Proto-Indo-European*swéd-yo-s
- Proto-Hellenic*hwédios
- Ancient Greekἴδιος (ídios)
- Ancient Greekἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs)
- Latinidiota
- Old Frenchidiote
- Middle Englishydiote
- Englishidiot
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. By surface analysis, idi- + -ot.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →IDiot · noun
- Englishintelligent
- Englishdesign
- Englishintelligent designinit.
- EnglishID
- Englishidiot
- EnglishIDiot
Blend of ID (“intelligent design”) + idiot.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek βλάξ
- βλάξ (bláx)person of low general intelligence
Arabic أَحْمَق, غَبِيّ
- أَحْمَق (ʔaḥmaq)person of low general intelligence
- غَبِيّ (ḡabiyy)person of low general intelligence
- مُغَفَّل (muḡaffal)person of low general intelligence
- أَبْلَه (ʔablah)person of low general intelligence
- عَبِيط (ʕabīṭ)person of low general intelligence
Basque ergel
- ergelperson of low general intelligence
Bengali মূর্খ, বেক্কল
- মূর্খ (murkho)person of low general intelligence
- বেক্কল (bekkol)person of low general intelligence
Bulgarian идио́т, идио́тка
- идио́т (idiót)person of low general intelligence
- идио́тка (idiótka)person of low general intelligence
- абда́л (abdál)person of low general intelligence
- ахма́к (ahmák)person of low general intelligence
- глупа́к (glupák)person of low general intelligence
- глупа́чка (glupáčka)person of low general intelligence
- идио́т (idiót)person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old
Catalan idiota
- idiotaperson of low general intelligence
Chinese Cantonese 死蠢, 白痴
- 死蠢 (sei² ceon²)person of low general intelligence
- 白痴 (baak⁶ ci¹)person of low general intelligence
- 戇鳩 /戆鸠 (ngong⁶ gau¹)person of low general intelligence
Chinese Mandarin 白痴, 傻子
- 白痴 (báichī)person of low general intelligence
- 傻子 (shǎzi)person of low general intelligence
- 蠢貨 /蠢货 (chǔnhuò)person of low general intelligence
- 傻瓜 (shǎguā)person of low general intelligence
- 笨蛋 (bèndàn)person of low general intelligence
- 蠢材 (chǔncái)person of low general intelligence
- 呆子 (dāizi)person of low general intelligence
Czech idiot, idiotka
- idiotperson of low general intelligence
- idiotkaperson of low general intelligence
Danish idiot, nar
- idiotperson of low general intelligence
- narperson of low general intelligence
- fjolsperson of low general intelligence
Dutch idioot, domkop
- idiootperson of low general intelligence
- domkopperson of low general intelligence
- narperson of low general intelligence
- domme gansperson of low general intelligence
- idiootperson who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old
Esperanto idioto, stultulo
- idiotoperson of low general intelligence
- stultuloperson of low general intelligence
Estonian idioot, lollpea
- idiootperson of low general intelligence
- lollpeaperson of low general intelligence
- oinasperson of low general intelligence
Finnish idiootti, hölmö
- idioottiperson of low general intelligence
- hölmöperson of low general intelligence
- pöljäperson of low general intelligence
- törttöperson of low general intelligence
- typerysperson of low general intelligence
- urpoperson of low general intelligence
French idiot, idiote
- idiotperson of low general intelligence
- idioteperson of low general intelligence
- imbécileperson of low general intelligence
- bouffonperson of low general intelligence
- bouffonneperson of low general intelligence
- crétinperson of low general intelligence
- crétineperson of low general intelligence
German Idiot, Idiotin
- Idiotperson of low general intelligence
- Idiotinperson of low general intelligence
- Narrperson of low general intelligence
- Närrinperson of low general intelligence
- Dummkopfperson of low general intelligence
- dumme Gansperson of low general intelligence
- dumme Kuhperson of low general intelligence
Greek βλάκας, ηλίθιος
- βλάκας (vlákas)person of low general intelligence
- ηλίθιος (ilíthios)person of low general intelligence
- ιδιώτης (idiótis)person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old
- μικρόνους (mikrónous)person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old
Hebrew אִידְיוֹט, גולם \ גֹּלֶם
- אִידְיוֹט (idyót)person of low general intelligence
- גולם \ גֹּלֶם (gólem)person of low general intelligence
- שׁוֹטֶה (shoté)person of low general intelligence
Hindi मूर्ख, बुद्धू
- मूर्ख (mūrkh)person of low general intelligence
- बुद्धू (buddhū)person of low general intelligence
- उल्लू (ullū)person of low general intelligence
- बेवक़ूफ़ (bevqūf)person of low general intelligence
- अहमक़ (ahmaq)person of low general intelligence
- अहमक (ahmak)person of low general intelligence
- बालबुद्धि (bālbuddhi)person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old
Hungarian idióta, hülye
- idiótaperson of low general intelligence
- hülyeperson of low general intelligence
- félkegyelműperson of low general intelligence
Icelandic hálviti, asni
- hálvitiperson of low general intelligence
- asniperson of low general intelligence
- grasasniperson of low general intelligence
- skynskiptingurperson of low general intelligence
Indonesian bodoh
- bodohperson of low general intelligence
Irish amadán, dúramán
- amadánperson of low general intelligence
- dúramánperson of low general intelligence
Italian idiota, squasimodeo
- idiotaperson of low general intelligence
- squasimodeoperson of low general intelligence
Japanese 馬鹿, あほ
- 馬鹿 (baka)person of low general intelligence
- あほ (aho)person of low general intelligence
- 白痴 (hakuchi)person of low general intelligence
- 戯け者person of low general intelligence
Korean 백치, 바보
- 백치 (baekchi)person of low general intelligence
- 바보 (babo)person of low general intelligence
- 등신 (deungsin)person of low general intelligence
- 멍청이 (meongcheong'i)person of low general intelligence
- 천치 (cheonchi)person of low general intelligence
Latin blennus, idiota
- blennusperson of low general intelligence
- idiotaperson of low general intelligence
- fungusperson of low general intelligence
Latvian idiots, idiote
- idiotsperson of low general intelligence
- idioteperson of low general intelligence
- muļķisperson of low general intelligence
- muļķeperson of low general intelligence
- duraksperson of low general intelligence
- idiotsperson who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old
- idioteperson who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old
Lithuanian idiotas, idiotė
- idiotasperson of low general intelligence
- idiotėperson of low general intelligence
- avigalvisperson of low general intelligence
- kvailysperson of low general intelligence
- durniusperson of low general intelligence
Malay bodoh
- bodohperson of low general intelligence
Māori hukehuke, heahea
- hukehukeperson of low general intelligence
- heaheaperson of low general intelligence
- roriroriperson of low general intelligence
- pōhauhauperson of low general intelligence
- hākawaperson of low general intelligence
Norwegian Bokmål idiot, narr
- idiotperson of low general intelligence
- narrperson of low general intelligence
Polish idiota, idiotka
- idiotaperson of low general intelligence
- idiotkaperson of low general intelligence
- głupekperson of low general intelligence
- głupiecperson of low general intelligence
- dureńperson of low general intelligence
Portuguese idiota
- idiotaperson of low general intelligence
Punjabi ਮੂਰਖ, ਬੇਵਕੂਫ਼
- ਮੂਰਖ (mūrakh)person of low general intelligence
- ਬੇਵਕੂਫ਼ (bevkūf)person of low general intelligence
Romanian idiot, idioată
- idiotperson of low general intelligence
- idioatăperson of low general intelligence
- idioțiperson of low general intelligence
- idioateperson of low general intelligence
Russian идио́т, идио́тка
- идио́т (idiót)person of low general intelligence
- идио́тка (idiótka)person of low general intelligence
- дура́к (durák)person of low general intelligence
- ду́ра (dúra)person of low general intelligence
- ду́рень (dúrenʹ)person of low general intelligence
- глупе́ц (glupéc)person of low general intelligence
Scottish Gaelic amadan, òinseach
- amadanperson of low general intelligence
- òinseachperson of low general intelligence
- burraidhperson of low general intelligence
Slovak idiot, idiotka
- idiotperson of low general intelligence
- idiotkaperson of low general intelligence
Spanish idiota
- idiotaperson of low general intelligence
Swahili mjinga, kichwamaji
- mjingaperson of low general intelligence
- kichwamajiperson of low general intelligence
Swedish idiot, narr
- idiotperson of low general intelligence
- narrperson of low general intelligence
Tagalog bobo, tanga
- boboperson of low general intelligence
- tangaperson of low general intelligence
- ungasperson of low general intelligence
Tamil முட்டாள், அறிவிலி
- முட்டாள் (muṭṭāḷ)person of low general intelligence
- அறிவிலி (aṟivili)person of low general intelligence
- லூசு (lūcu)person of low general intelligence
Thai คนโง่, ไอ้งั่ง
- คนโง่ (kon-ngôo)person of low general intelligence
- ไอ้งั่งperson of low general intelligence
- คนโง่เง่าperson of low general intelligence
- คนบ้าperson of low general intelligence
- คนปัญญาอ่อนperson of low general intelligence
- โง่ (ngôo)person of low general intelligence
- ควาย (kwaai)person of low general intelligence
Turkish salak, ahmak
- salakperson of low general intelligence
- ahmakperson of low general intelligence
- aptalperson of low general intelligence
- geri zekâlıperson of low general intelligence
- bönperson of low general intelligence
- avanakperson of low general intelligence
- andavalperson of low general intelligence
Ukrainian ідіо́т, ідіо́тка
- ідіо́т (idiót)person of low general intelligence
- ідіо́тка (idiótka)person of low general intelligence
- ду́рень (dúrenʹ)person of low general intelligence
- дуре́па (durépa)person of low general intelligence
- ду́рка (dúrka)person of low general intelligence
- йо́лоп (jólop)person of low general intelligence
Urdu مُورْکھ, بیوَقُوف
- مُورْکھ (mūrkh)person of low general intelligence
- بیوَقُوف (bevaqūf)person of low general intelligence
- بے وُقُوف (be vuqūf)person of low general intelligence
- اُلُّو (ullū)person of low general intelligence
- بُدُّھو (buddhū)person of low general intelligence
- اَحْمَق (ahmaq)person of low general intelligence
- گاؤدی (gāodī)person of low general intelligence
Vietnamese thằng ngốc, thằng ngu
- thằng ngốcperson of low general intelligence
- thằng nguperson of low general intelligence
Welsh twpsyn, ynfytyn
- twpsynperson of low general intelligence
- ynfytynperson of low general intelligence
Yiddish אידיאָט, נאַר
- אידיאָט (idyot)person of low general intelligence
- נאַר (nar)person of low general intelligence
- שוטה (shoyte)person of low general intelligence
Cite this entry
idiot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/idiot
“idiot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/idiot. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “idiot,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/idiot.
Source: idiot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.