Meanings
plural village idiots
- A person widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency.
To some, Mr. Cagri was the Internet's village idiot, but others were touched by his warmth or just tickled by the absurdity of the whole phenomenon.
2002 July 4, David F. Gallagher, “Star of 'I Kiss You' Site Moves From Farce to Folklore”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, retrieved 13 Aug 20242 more examples
It is true that the Doocot was occasionally appropriated to other purposes than that of a tolbooth for the sorner, the drunken gipsy, the village idiot at the change of the moon, the swearing bluegown, and the contumacious birdnester on the sabbath; […]
1825, The Abduction; Or, the Adventures of Major Sarney: A Story of the Times of Charles the Second, volume II, Charles Knight, page 170"So kindly keep the vainglorious enumeration of your pots for the benefit of those village idiots who compose your particular set of boozing companions."
1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 85
Origin
From the saying “Every village has its village idiot”, alleged to be an old Yiddish proverb.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Danish landsbytosse
- landsbytosseperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Dutch dorpsgek
- dorpsgekperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Estonian külahull
- külahullperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Finnish but see typerys, kylähullu
- but see typerysperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
- kylähulluperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
French idiot du village
- idiot du villageperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
German Dorftrottel
- Dorftrottelperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Hebrew שוטה הכפר
- שוטה הכפר (shotéh hakfár)person widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Hungarian falu bolondja
- falu bolondjaperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Italian scemo del villaggio
- scemo del villaggioperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Polish wiejski głupek, wioskowy głupek
- wiejski głupekperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
- wioskowy głupekperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Portuguese idiota da vila
- idiota da vilaperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Romanian prostul satului
- prostul satuluiperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Russian городско́й сумасше́дший, дереве́нский дурачо́к
- городско́й сумасше́дший (gorodskój sumasšédšij)person widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
- дереве́нский дурачо́к (derevénskij duračók)person widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Spanish tonto del pueblo
- tonto del puebloperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Swedish byfåne
- byfåneperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Turkish mahallenin delisi, köyün delisi
- mahallenin delisiperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
- köyün delisiperson widely known in their community for their stupidity and mental deficiency
Cite this entry
village idiot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/village%20idiot
“village idiot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/village%20idiot. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “village idiot,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/village%20idiot.
Source: village idiot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.