idiocy
English edit
Alternative forms edit
- idiotcy (archaic)
Etymology edit
From French idiotie, from Old French idiot. Displaced earlier idiotacy, idiotry. Equivalent to idiot + -cy.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
idiocy (countable and uncountable, plural idiocies)
- (dated, psychology, now derogatory) The state or condition of being an idiot; the quality of having an intelligence level far below average; mental retardation; intellectual disability.
- (uncountable) Lack of intelligence or sense; extremely foolish behaviour.
- Synonyms: imbecility, stupidity
- The administrators, growing tired of such idiocy, put a new policy in place.
- (countable) An idiotic act or utterance.
- The list of his idiocies is seemingly interminable.
Synonyms edit
- idiocity (nonstandard)
- idiotacy (nonstandard)
- idiotcy (dated)
- idiotery (nonstandard, rare)
- idioticalness (rare)
- idioticity (nonstandard)
- idioticness (rare)
- idioticy (nonstandard)
- idiotness (rare)
- idiotry (obsolete)
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
state of being an idiot
|
extremely foolish behaviour
References edit
- “idiocy”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.