stultifying

- 3 dictionary results

stul⋅ti⋅fy

[stuhl-tuh-fahy]

–verb (used with object), -fied, -fy⋅ing.

1.	to make, or cause to appear, foolish or ridiculous.

2.	to render absurdly or wholly futile or ineffectual, esp. by degrading or frustrating means: Menial work can stultify the mind.

3.	Law. to allege or prove (oneself or another) to be of unsound mind.

Origin:
1760–70; < LL stultificāre, equiv. to L stult(us) stupid + -i- -i- + -ficāre -fy

Related forms:

stul⋅ti⋅fi⋅ca⋅tion, noun

stul⋅ti⋅fi⋅er, noun

stul⋅ti⋅fy⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
2. cripple, impede, frustrate, hinder, thwart.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To stultifying

stul·ti·fy (stŭl'tə-fī')

tr.v. stul·ti·fied, stul·ti·fy·ing, stul·ti·fies

To render useless or ineffectual; cripple.
To cause to appear stupid, inconsistent, or ridiculous.
Law To allege or prove insane and so not legally responsible.

[Late Latin stultificāre, to make foolish : Latin stultus, foolish; see stel- in Indo-European roots + Latin -ficāre, -fy.]
stul'ti·fi·ca'tion (-fĭ-kā'shən) n., stul'ti·fi'er n.

Word Origin & History

stultify

1766, "allege to be of unsound mind" (legal term), from L.L. stultificare "turn into foolishness," from L. stultus "foolish" + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). The first element is cognate with L. stolidus "slow, dull, obtuse" (see stolid). Meaning "cause to appear foolish or absurd" is from 1809.

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