idiot

idiot
idiot (n.) early 14c., "person so mentally deficient as to be incapable of ordinary reasoning;" also in Middle English "simple man, uneducated person, layman" (late 14c.), from O.Fr. idiote "uneducated or ignorant person" (12c.), from L. idiota "ordinary person, layman; outsider," in L.L. "uneducated or ignorant person," from Gk. idiotes "layman, person lacking professional skill" (opposed to writer, soldier, skilled workman), lit. "private person (as opposed to one taking part in public affairs)," used patronizingly for "ignorant person," from idios "one's own" (see IDIOM (Cf. idiom)).
Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself. [Mark Twain, c.1882]
Idiot box "television set" is from 1959; idiot light "dashboard warning signal" is attested from 1968. Idiot savant attested by 1870.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • idiot — idiot, idiote [ idjo, idjɔt ] adj. et n. • idiote « ignorant » 1180; lat. idiôtes « sot », gr. idiotês « simple particulier », d où « étranger à un métier, ignorant » I ♦ Adj. 1 ♦ (1660) Qui manque d intelligence, de bon sens. ⇒ bête, imbécile,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • idiot — IDIÓT, OÁTĂ, idioţi, oate, adj., s.m. şi f. 1. adj., s.m. şi f. (Persoană) care suferă de idioţie; tâmpit, cretin, imbecil. 2. adj. (Despre manifestări ale fiinţelor) Care manifestă, care exprimă, care denotă nerozie, stupiditate etc. [pr.: di… …   Dicționar Român

  • idiot — idiot, ote (i di o, o t ) adj. 1°   Dépourvu d intelligence. •   Ils rejetèrent cette friponnerie sur Ésope, ne croyant pas qu il se pût jamais justifier, tant il était bègue et paraissait idiot !, LA FONT. Vie d Ésope.. •   Ce n est point du… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • Idiot — Sm std. (16. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus l. idiōta, idiōtēs der Ungebildete, Laie, Stümper , dieses aus gr. idiṓtēs (dass., eigentlich: die Einzelperson im Gegensatz zum Staat, der Nichtkenner im Gegensatz zum Sachverständigen ), zu gr. ídios… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • Idiot — Id i*ot ([i^]d [i^]*[o^]t), n. [F. idiot, L. idiota an uneducated, ignorant, ill informed person, Gr. idiw ths, also and orig., a private person, not holding public office, fr. i dios proper, peculiar. See {Idiom}.] 1. A man in private station,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • idiot — IDIOT, [idi]ote. s. Ignorant, stupide, imbecille. C est un idiot, un pauvre idiot. le prenez vous, le voulez vous faire passer pour un idiot, pour idiot? elle n est pas si idiote que vous pensez …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • idiot — idìot (idiȍt) m DEFINICIJA 1. pat. onaj koji boluje od idiotije 2. razg. glupan, neinteligentna osoba, blesan SINTAGMA idiot kamera žarg. vrsta jednostavnih fotoaparata koje prije snimanja nije potrebno posebno podešavati ETIMOLOGIJA lat. idiōta… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • Idiot — [Aufbauwortschatz (Rating 1500 3200)] Auch: • Narr • Niete Bsp.: • Sei kein Narr! • Shane, du bist ein Idiot. • Der Idiot weigerte sich, mich zu bezahlen! …   Deutsch Wörterbuch

  • idiot — id·i·ot / i dē ət/ n: a person with esp. profound mental retardation ◇ While the terms idiot imbecile, and moron survive in many state codes and statutes, they are generally no longer used in both medical and legal contexts. The modern… …   Law dictionary

  • Idiot — Idiot,der:1.⇨Schwachsinnige–2.⇨Dummkopf(2) Idiot 1.→Wahnsinniger 2.ugs.für:Dummkopf,Schwachkopf,Ignorant,Hohlkopf,Nichtskönner,Nichtswisser,Stümper,Tölpel,Kretin,Narr,Hanswurst,Tropf,Tor;ugs.:Dummerjan,Flachkopf,Spatzengehirn,Wasserkopf,Holzkopf,N… …   Das Wörterbuch der Synonyme

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