imbécil

See also: imbecil and imbècil

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin imbēcillis, from in- (“no”) + baculus (“walking stick, staff”), in the sense of “weak, vulnerable”.

Pronunciation

(Castilian) IPA^(key): /imˈbe.θil/
(Latin America) IPA^(key): /imˈbe.sil/

Adjective

imbécil (plural imbéciles)

(offensive) dumb, having the properties of an imbecile

Noun

imbécil m, f (plural imbéciles)

(offensive) moron, imbecile

Usage notes

Although in some contexts sonso, bobo, tonto, menso, tarado, idiota, imbécil, estúpido and pendejo may be synonyms, in most contexts have a different degree, having sonso the mildest connotation, increasing its intensity in that rough order, to estúpido and pendejo, which have the most offensive sense.

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