Imbecile | Definition of imbecile by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of IMBECILE

1

usually offensive : a person affected with moderate mental retardation

2

: fool, idiot

— imbecile or im·be·cil·ic \ˌim-bə-ˈsi-lik\ adjective

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French imbécile, noun, from adjective, weak, weak-minded, from Latin imbecillus

First Known Use: 1802

Synonyms: airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead, bubblehead, chowderhead, chucklehead, clodpoll (or clodpole), clot [British], cluck, clunk, cretin, cuddy (or cuddie) [British dialect], deadhead, dim bulb [slang], dimwit, dip, dodo, dolt, donkey, doofus [slang], dope, dork [slang], dullard, dumbbell, dumbhead, dum-dum, dummkopf, dummy, dunce, dunderhead, fathead, gander, golem, goof, goon, half-wit, hammerhead, hardhead, ignoramus, idiot, jackass, know-nothing, knucklehead, lamebrain, loggerhead [chiefly dialect], loon, lump, lunkhead, meathead, mome [archaic], moron, mug [chiefly British], mutt, natural, nimrod [slang], nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit [chiefly British], nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull (or numbskull), oaf, pinhead, prat [British], ratbag [chiefly Australian], saphead, schlub (also shlub) [slang], schnook [slang], simpleton, stock, stupe, stupid, thickhead, turkey, woodenhead, yahoo, yo-yo

usually offensive : a person affected with moderate mental retardation

—imbecile or im·be·cil·ic \ˌim-bə-ˈsil-ik\ adjective, usually offensive

—im·be·cil·i·ty \ˌim-bə-ˈsil-ət-ē\ noun, plural im·be·cil·i·ties usually offensive

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