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Definition of Imbecile
1. Adjective. Having a mental age of three to seven years.
2. Noun. A person of subnormal intelligence.
Specialized synonyms: Mongoloid
Generic synonyms: Simple, Simpleton
Derivative terms: Cretinous, Idiotic, Imbecilic, Moronic, Retard
Definition of Imbecile
1. a. Destitute of strength, whether of body or mind; feeble; impotent; esp., mentally wea; feeble-minded; as, hospitals for the imbecile and insane.
2. n. One destitute of strength; esp., one of feeble mind.
3. v. t. To weaken; to make imbecile; as, to imbecile men's courage.
Definition of Imbecile
1. Noun. (obsolete) A person with limited (mental) (capacity) 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. ¹
2. Noun. (context: pejorative) A fool, an idiot. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Imbecile
1. a mentally deficient person [n -S]
Medical Definition of Imbecile
1. An obsolete term for a subclass of mental retardation or the individual classified therein. Origin: L. Imbecillus, weak, silly (05 Mar 2000)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Imbecile
Literary usage of Imbecile
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. Report of the Proceedings (1902)
"GE SHUTTLEWORTH, as follows:— imbecile AND FEEBLE-MINDED CHILDREN. ... <Sc.
IN presenting to this Congress a few thoughts on " imbecile and Feeble-minded ..."
2. Transactions of the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science by G. W. Hastings, Andr. Edgar, Edw. Pears, Ch. W. Ryalls (1868)
"THE IDIOTIC AND imbecile.* What is the best Method for educating the Idiotic and
imbecile ; and ought the State to subsidize Educational ..."
3. Sanctum Sanctorum: Or Proof-sheets from an Editor's Table by Theodore Tilton (1870)
"Dr. Samuel H. Hopkins declared that the Episcopal denomination of the United
States had u an imbecile pulpit." The remark was made by the retiring moderator ..."
4. Backward Children by Arthur Holmes (1915)
"Recently a daily paper presented the picture of an apparent imbecile. ...
The idiot presents them with pitiable obviousness; the imbecile in a lesser degree ..."
5. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease by Philadelphia Neurological Society, American Neurological Association, Chicago Neurological Society, New York Neurological Association (1897)
"The two normal have each an imbecile daughter, and of the two daughters, the
normal has an imbecile daughter and the imbecile an imbecile son. ..."
6. American State Trials: A Collection of the Important and Interesting by John Davison Lawson, Robert Lorenzo Howard (1921)
"He steps out of his way to throw an imbecile dart, telum imbecile sine ictu, at
this system of religion, and exhibited at once a proof of his senility and ..."
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