imbecile
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˈɪm.bɪ.sɪl/
KK: /ˈɪm.bɪ.sɪl/
adjective
Definition
Not intelligent; lacking good judgment or sense.
Example
His imbecile comments made everyone question his understanding of the topic.
Conversation
Did you really believe that outrageous rumor about him?
Honestly, it sounded so silly, like an imbecile would come up with it.
Right? I mean, who would actually think that's true?
Exactly! It just shows how some people can be so imbecile in their thinking.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
foolish
dull
silly
Antonyms
smart
wise
clever
noun
Definition
A person who is considered to be very foolish or lacking in intelligence.
Example
He acted like an imbecile when he forgot his own birthday.
Conversation
Did you see what he did in the meeting today?
Yeah, it was pretty embarrassing; he looked like an imbecile.
I can't believe he didn't prepare at all.
Root Explanation
Imbecile comes from the Latin 'imbecillus' (meaning weak or weak-minded), which is a combination of 'in-' (meaning not) and 'baculum' (meaning staff or support). The term originally referred to someone who was not strong or supported, eventually evolving to describe a person of low intelligence.
Memory Tip
Think of someone who is 'not strong' ('in-' means not and 'baculum' means staff or support) — this helps you remember that an imbecile is someone considered weak-minded.
Visually Confused Words
No commonly confused words.