Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

idiota

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.48 in modern English

Syllables
id-io-ta
IPA
7
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
3
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Fool or imbecile.

American usage; Derogatory; Slang

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish idiota, from Latin idiōta (“idiot”), from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “layman”) from ἴδιος (ídios, “private”). Doublet of idiot. By surface analysis, idi- + -ota.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: idiota, idiōta, ἰδιώτης

Usage

Inflected Forms

idiotas (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

idioto

Synonyms

alcatote asshat arsehole asshole bayard berk birdbrain blither bobchin bonehead bozo buffoon

Questions

What does idiota mean?
Fool or imbecile.
Where does idiota come from?
It is traced to Spanish.

How to pronounce idiota

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “idiota”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “idiota”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “idiota” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.