Where does “idiots” come from?
idiots (English) comes from English idiot, from Middle English idiote, from Old French idiote, from Latin idiōta, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης, from Ancient Greek ἴδιος, from Proto-Hellenic *hwédios.
idiots (English): plural of idiot
Definitions
- plural of idiot
Ancestry of “idiots”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | idiot | A person of low general intelligence; A person... |
| 2 | Middle English | idiote | — |
| 3 | Old French | idiote | feminine singular of idiot; Alternative form of... |
| 4 | Latin | idiōta | idiot, an ignorant, uneducated or illiterate person |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἰδιώτης | a private person, one not engaged in public... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἴδιος | pertaining to self, that is, one's own; private;... |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | *hwédios | — |