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8 dictionary results for: imbecile

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

im·be·cile

[im-buh-sil, -suh

l or, especially Brit., -seel] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	Psychology. a person of the second order in a former classification of mental retardation, above the level of idiocy, having a mental age of seven or eight years and an intelligence quotient of 25 to 50.

2.	a dunce; blockhead; dolt.

–adjective

3.	mentally feeble.

4.	showing mental feebleness or incapacity.

5.	stupid; silly; absurd.

6.	Archaic. weak or feeble.

[Origin: 1540–50; earlier imbecill < L imbécillus weak; -ile r. -ill by confusion with suffix -ile

]

—Related forms

im·be·cile·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

im·be·cile (ĭm'bə-sĭl, -səl) Pronunciation Key
n.

A stupid or silly person; a dolt.
A person whose mental acumen is well below par.
A person of moderate to severe mental retardation having a mental age of from three to seven years and generally being capable of some degree of communication and performance of simple tasks under supervision. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

adj. also im·be·cil·ic (ĭm'bə-sĭl'ĭk)

Stupid; silly.
Well below par in mental acumen.

[From obsolete French imbécille, weak, feeble, from Old French, from Latin imbēcillus : in-, not; see in-¹ + possibly bacillum, staff, diminutive of baculum, rod; see bak- in Indo-European roots.]

im'be·cile·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

imbecile
adjective
1.	having a mental age of three to seven years
noun
1.	a person of subnormal intelligence [syn: idiot]

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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

imbecile im·be·cile (ĭm'bə-sĭl, -səl)
n.
A person of moderate to severe mental retardation having a mental age of from three to seven years and generally being capable of some degree of communication and performance of simple tasks under supervision. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

im'be·cil'i·ty (-sĭl'ĭ·tē) n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: im·be·cile
Pronunciation: 'im-b&-sil, -"sIl
Function: noun
: a mentally retarded or deficient person; especially : a severely mentally retarded person —used esp. formerly; —see also IDIOT

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Imbecile

Im"be*cile\, a. [L. imbecillis, and imbecillus; of unknown origin: cf. F. imb['e]cile.] Destitute of strength, whether of body or mind; feeble; impotent; esp., mentally wea; feeble-minded; as, hospitals for the imbecile and insane.

Syn: Weak; feeble; feeble-minded; idiotic.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Imbecile

Im"be*cile\, n. One destitute of strength; esp., one of feeble mind.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Imbecile

Im"be*cile\, v. t. To weaken; to make imbecile; as, to imbecile men's courage. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor.

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