Word
Definition
n. a person who does something very stupid or makes a bad decision.
n. a person who acts in a foolish or reckless manner. While common in casual speech, it remains an insult and can be offensive depending on the context.
Examples
“I felt like an idiot when I forgot my keys.”
“He was acting like a complete idiot at the party, shouting and knocking over drinks.”
“The protagonist is often portrayed as a lovable idiot whose lack of common sense is balanced by a heart of gold and an uncanny ability to stumble into success.”
Examples
simple
“I felt like an idiot when I forgot my keys.”
contextual
“He was acting like a complete idiot at the party, shouting and knocking over drinks.”
complex
“The protagonist is often portrayed as a lovable idiot whose lack of common sense is balanced by a heart of gold and an uncanny ability to stumble into success.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “idiot” in context.
Verb
01. feel like an idiot
“She felt like an idiot after forgetting her own phone number during the interview.”
verb + prep + noun
02. look like an idiot
“I didn't want to ask a question and look like an idiot, so I just stayed silent.”
verb + prep + noun
03. make an idiot of someone
“Don't let him make an idiot of you in front of the entire board of directors.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. absolute idiot
“I felt like an absolute idiot when I realized I had been wearing my shirt inside out all day.”
adj + noun
05. blithering idiot
“Stop acting like a blithering idiot and focus on the task at hand.”
adj + noun
06. utter idiot
“He made an utter idiot of himself by trying to argue with the professor about basic facts.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. village idiot
“In the old days, he would have been mocked as the village idiot for such eccentric behavior.”
noun + noun
Usage
Often used with the adjective 'complete', 'total', or 'absolute' for emphasis.
Teaching tip
Learners should be aware that while friends might use this jokingly with each other, it is a genuine insult when directed at a stranger or used in a professional setting.
Real-World Examples
“The second is that she was competing in the age of social media, allowing every idiot with a phone to mock her performance in real time.” “Is he a scam artist juicing idiots for cash?” Etymology
From Middle English idiote, ydiote, from Old French idiote (later idiot), from Latin idiota, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “a private citizen, one who has no professional knowledge, layman”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “one's own, pertaining to oneself, private”). Doublet of idiota. By surface analysis, idi- + -ot.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
01. idiot box
02. idiot mittens
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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- Informal
QR code
englishreference.com/q/idiot
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0