Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word imbecile. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word imbecile, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say imbecile in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word imbecile you have here. The definition of the word imbecile will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofimbecile, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
(obsolete) A person with limited mentalcapacity who can perform tasks and think only like a young child, in medical circles meaning a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal five- to seven-year-old child.
1956, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Part I, section 7”, in Sexual Offences Act 1956, page 2:
It is an offence for a man to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman whom he knows to be an idiot or imbecile.
“A rat picked up a drink can and threw it at me?” yelled Mr Big. “A big rat, guv’nor? One of them super-rats?” suggested Thumbs. “It landed on my head, you imbecile!”
Usage notes
In modern times, “imbecile” is often used in jocularinsults.