imbecility

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

Also spelled imbecillity

US /ˌɪmbəˈsɪləti/ See IPA manual

Freq #93418

Meanings

1

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

The police prosecutor hammered at him and the bench had a go at him, and they commanded from him such a madhouse particularity between the distinctions of looking and seeing that Bradly was reduced to imbecility, and so contradictious were his mutterings that he was openly suspected of trying to shield that wretched tramp, whom Bradly would have gladly seen sunk in the bottomless pit reserved for snoopers.
2

noun
Something imbecilic; a stupid action, behaviour, etc.

The Parnassian theory of art is mere imbecility.
3

noun
a stupid mistake
4

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

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 noun · a stupid mistake folly

Word family

Derived forms imbecilitate

Etymology

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

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# imbecility

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪmbəˈsɪləti/
**Frequency rank:** 93418

## Meanings
1. The quality of being imbecile; weakness; feebleness, especially of mind.
2. Something imbecilic; a stupid action, behaviour, etc.
3. a stupid mistake
4. retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot

## Examples
- The police prosecutor hammered at him and the bench had a go at him, and they commanded from him such a madhouse particularity between the distinctions of looking and seeing that Bradly was reduced to imbecility, and so contradictious were his mutterings that he was openly suspected of trying to shield that wretched tramp, whom Bradly would have gladly seen sunk in the bottomless pit reserved for snoopers.
- The Parnassian theory of art is mere imbecility.

## Derived Forms
- imbecilitate

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

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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