asinine
/ˈæs.ɪ.naɪn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.56 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Very foolish; failing to exercise intelligence or judgement or rationality.
adj
Characteristic of an ass (an asshole): objectionably inconsiderate or jerky.
adj
Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of donkeys.
Example Sentences
- "They danced on silently, softly. Their feet played tricks to the beat of the tireless measure, that exquisitely asinine blare which is England's punishment for having lost America."
- "“Look at this festive assembly. All of us, gathered here together, chuckling at jokes and silliness.” [laughter] “And jackanapery.” [rim shots] “I guess there's only one thing left to say. What is this shit?” [rim shot] [laughter] “[laughs] Very good.” “You call yourselves vampires? Bah. This entire evening has been nothing but a pageant of insipid nonsense.” “[laughing] Yes.” “Worshipping at the altar of your own mediocre frivolity. A jester's hollow dance. And who is laughing?” “Yeah! [whoops] [grunts]” “Vampires are supposed to have blood orgies and slaughter circles. Gah! You have all gone soft. You even invited humans to this asinine affair.”"
- "Philo Vance is an asinine jerk - a rude, Nietzschean snob who holds most of the people he meets and the things he sees in utter disdain. He's an insufferable smarty-pants, always convinced he's right and that everyone else is wrong. Of course, he is right, but that doesn't make him any less of a jerk."
- "Don Quixote had put himself but a little way ayont the village of Don Diego, when he encountered two apparent priests, or students, and two husbandmen, who came mounted on four asinine beasts."
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: asinīnus
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈæs.ɪ.naɪn/
- British English: /ˈæs.ɪ.naɪn/
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Zoology.
Inflected Forms
more asinine (comparative)
most asinine (superlative)