village idiot

English

Etymology

From the saying “Every village has its village idiot”, alleged to be an old Yiddish proverb.

Noun

village idiot (plural village idiots)

1. A person widely known in their community for their stupidity and ignorant behaviour.
   • 1825, The Abduction; Or, the Adventures of Major Sarney: A Story of the Times of Charles the Second, Vol. II, publ. by Charles Knight, page 170.

     It is true that the Doocot was occasionally appropriated to other purposes than that of a tolbooth for the sorner, the drunken gipsy, the village idiot at the change of the moon, the swearing bluegown, and the contumacious birdnester on the sabbath; […]

Usage notes

Usually used in the singular with the definite article (“the village idiot”) or preceded by another definite determiner (“its”, “our”, ...).

Translations

person widely known in their community for their stupidity and ignorant behaviour

• Danish: landsbytosse c
• Dutch: dorpsgek (nl) m
• Estonian: külahull
• Finnish: kylähullu
• French: idiot du village (fr) m
• German: Dorftrottel (de) m
• Hebrew: שוטה הכפר (shoteh hakfar)
• Hungarian: falu bolondja
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: scemo del villaggio
• Macedonian: селска будала (sélska budála) f
• Portuguese: idiota da vila m or f
• Russian: городско́й сумасше́дший (ru) (gorodskój sumasšédšij)
• Spanish: tonto del pueblo m
• Swedish: byfåne (sv) c
• West Frisian: doarpsgek