Standard Lemma guide

imbecility

noun · 4 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

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  • /ˌɪmbəˈsɪləti/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The quality of being imbecile; weakness; feebleness, especially of mind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something imbecilic; a stupid action, behaviour, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a stupid mistake

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stupidity, betise, folly, foolishness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mistake, error, fault

4

noun

Meaning 4

retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: retardation, mental retardation, backwardness, slowness, subnormality

History

Etymology

From Middle English inbecillite, from Middle French imbecilité, imbecillité, and its etymon Classical Latin imbēcillitās. By surface analysis, imbecile + -ity.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: слабоумие (slaboumie) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Bulgarian: малоумие (maloumie) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Catalan: imbecil·litat — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • French: imbécilité — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Greek: ηλιθιότητα (ilithiótita) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Greek: βλακεία (vlakeía) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Italian: imbecillità — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Latin: imbecillitas — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Manx: meecheeall — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Manx: meecheeallid — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Manx: ommidjys — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Manx: anlheil — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Manx: anlheiltys — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Manx: jei-hushtaght — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Occitan: imbecillitat — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Russian: слабоу́мие (slaboúmije) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Russian: дебили́зм (debilízm) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Russian: имбеци́льность (imbecílʹnostʹ) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Spanish: imbecilidad — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Turkish: ahmaklık — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Turkish: alıklık — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Turkish: aptallık — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Turkish: behalet — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Turkish: eblehlik — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour
  • Ottoman Turkish: شاشقینلق (şaşkınlık) — quality of imbecile, stupid behaviour