imbecility — (n.) early 15c., physical weakness, feebleness (of a body part), impotence, from M.Fr. imbécillité and directly from L. imbecillitatem (nom. imbecillitas) weakness, feebleness, from imbecillus weak, feeble, traditionally said to mean unsupported… … Etymology dictionary
imbecility — [im΄bə sil′ə tē] n. pl. imbecilities [Fr imbécillité < L imbecillitas] 1. the state of being an imbecile 2. behavior like that of an imbecile; great foolishness or stupidity 3. an imbecile act or remark … English World dictionary
Imbecility — (Roget s Thesaurus) Folly. < N PARAG:Imbecility >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 want of intelligence want of intelligence &c. 498 want of intellect &c. 450 Sgm: N 1 shadowness shadowness silliness foolishness &c. >Adj. Sgm: N 1 imbecility… … English dictionary for students
imbecility — imbecile ► NOUN informal ▪ a stupid person. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ stupid. DERIVATIVES imbecilic adjective imbecility noun (pl. imbecilities) . ORIGIN originally in the sense «physically weak»: from Latin imbecillus without a supporting staff … English terms dictionary
imbecility — noun (plural ties) Date: circa 1533 1. the quality or state of being imbecile or an imbecile 2. a. utter foolishness; also futility b. something that is foolish or nonsensical … New Collegiate Dictionary
imbecility — /im beuh sil i tee/, n., pl. imbecilities. 1. Psychol. the state of being an imbecile. 2. an instance or point of weakness; feebleness; incapability. 3. stupidity; silliness; absurdity. 4. an instance of this. [1525 35; earlier imbecillity < L… … Universalium
imbecility — noun a) The quality of being imbecile; weakness; feebleness, especially of mind. b) Something imbecilic; a stupid action, behaviour, etc … Wiktionary
imbecility — Synonyms and related words: amentia, arrested development, asininity, backwardness, battiness, blithering idiocy, brainlessness, buffoonery, clownishness, crackpottedness, crankiness, craziness, cretinism, daffiness, desipience, disability,… … Moby Thesaurus
imbecility — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. idiocy. See insanity. II (Roget s IV) n. 1. [Folly] Syn. foolishness, idiocy, silliness, absurdity; see stupidity 1 , 2 . 2. [Feeble mindedness] Syn. moronity, retardation, cretinism; see insanity 1 … English dictionary for students
imbecility — im·be·cil·i·ty || ‚ɪmbɪ sɪlÉ™tɪ n. mentally handicapped condition (Psychology); stupidity, foolishness, silliness … English contemporary dictionary
