Phrase guide

idiot box

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Television.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: boob tube, zombie box

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an electronic device that receives television signals and displays them on a screen

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the British call a tv set a telly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: television receiver, television, television set, tv, tv set, boob tube, telly, goggle box

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: receiver, receiving system

History

Etymology

From idiot + box, an allusion to the supposed mind-reducing nature of television programming or its lack of educational value.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: treurbuis — television (pejorative)
  • Finnish: telkkari — television (pejorative)
  • Finnish: töllö — television (pejorative)
  • German: Glotze — television (pejorative)
  • German: Idiotenlaterne — television (pejorative)
  • Greek: χαζοκούτι (chazokoúti) — television (pejorative)
  • Icelandic: imbakassi — television (pejorative)
  • Russian: дебили́зор (debilízor) — television (pejorative)
  • Russian: зомбоя́щик (zombojáščik) — television (pejorative)
  • Russian: дуроско́п (duroskóp) — television (pejorative)
  • Russian: зомбови́зор (zombovízor) — television (pejorative)
  • Spanish: caja boba — television (pejorative)
  • Spanish: caja idiota — television (pejorative)
  • Spanish: caja tonta — television (pejorative)
  • Swedish: dumburk — television (pejorative)