fatuous

English

Etymology

From Latin fatuus (“foolish, silly, simple”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfæt.ju.əs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfætʃ.u.əs/

Adjective

fatuous (comparative more fatuous, superlative most fatuous)

1. Obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness.

   To compare the intelligence levels of men and women is itself fatuous.

Usage notes

• Refers especially to foolishness and disregard of reality.

Synonyms

• (obnoxiously stupid): childish, imbecilic, inane, insipid, puerile

Related terms

• fatuity
• fatuously
• fatuousness
• infatuate

Translations

obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness

• Armenian: տխմար (hy) (txmar)
• Bulgarian: глу́пав (bg) (glúpav), безсми́слен (bg) (bezsmíslen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 愚笨 (zh) (yúbèn), 蠢的 (zh) (chǔn de), 愚昧 (zh) (yúmèi)

• Dutch: dwaas (nl), onwijs (nl)
• Estonian: kohtlane
• Finnish: älytön (fi)
• French: imbécile (fr), stupide (fr), niais (fr)
• German: töricht (de), albern (de)

• Greek: ανόητος (el) m (anóitos), κουτός (el) m (koutós)
• Irish: baoth, díchéillí, amadánta, baothánta
• Italian: fatuo (it)
• Japanese: 愚かな (ja) (おろかな, oroka na)
• Latin: fatuus
• Portuguese: fátuo (pt)
• Russian: глу́пый (ru) (glúpyj), дура́цкий (ru) (duráckij), бессмы́сленный (ru) (bessmýslennyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: baoth, amaideach, gòrach
• Spanish: fatuo (es)