"idiot" in seven languages
Meaningidiot
Spanish
idiota
/iˈdjota/
masc.learned
Same form for both sexes: el idiota, la idiota.
French
idiot
/idjo/
masc.learned
Feminine idiote.
Italian
idiota
/iˈdjɔta/
masc.learned
plural: idioti
Same form for both sexes; feminine plural idiote.
Portuguese
idiota
/idʒiˈɔtɐ/
masc.learned
Romanian
idiot
/idiˈot/
masc.learned
Catalan
idiota
/idiˈɔtə/
masc.learned
English
idiot
/ˈɪdiət/
from Latin/French · Old French idiote / Latin IDIŌTA
English → ItalianidiotidiotaCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
IDIŌTAM‘layman, ignorant person (Greek idiṓtēs 'private person')’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
Greek idiṓtēs was a private citizen with no public role, hence 'layman', then 'ignoramus'. Its root ídios 'one's own' also gives idiom.
English relatives: idiom, idiosyncrasy
Learn it
In a sentence
- esMe sentí como un idiota.
- frJe me suis senti comme un idiot.
- itMi sono sentito un idiota.
- ptMe senti um idiota.
- roM-am simțit ca un idiot.
- caEm vaig sentir com un idiota.
- enI felt like an idiot.
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