LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinefirst declension

idiōta

idiōta m (genitive idiōtae)
Classical[ɪ.diˈoː.ta]Ecclesiastical[i.diˈɔː.ta]

Meaning

  1. derogatoryidiot, an ignorant, uneducated or illiterate person
  2. Medieval Latinconvert; conversus (lay brother)
  3. Medieval Latinprivate person

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeidiōtaidiōtae
ydiōtae
genitiveidiōtae
ydiōtae		idiōtārum
ydiōtārum
dativeidiōtae
ydiōtae		idiōtīs
ydiōtīs
accusativeidiōtam
idiōtēn, ydiōtam		idiōtās
ydiōtās
ablativeidiōtā
idiōtē		idiōtīs
ydiōtīs
vocativeidiōta
idiōtē		idiōtae
ydiōtae

ĭdĭōta, ae, m., = ἰδιώτης,
I. an uneducated, ignorant, inexperienced, common person (cf. rudis): quidni et tu idem illitteratum me atque idiotam diceres? Lucil. ap. Non. 38, 24: quae non modo istum hominem ingeniosum atque intelligentem, verum etiam quemvis nostrum, quos iste idiotas appellat, delectare possent, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 2, § 4; cf. id. Pis. 26, 62: ludos nobis idiotis relinquet, id. ib. 27, 65: posteaquam rem paternam ab idiotarum divitiis ad philosophorum regulam perduxit, id. Sest. 51, 110: quoniam respondere nos tibi non quimus, quos idiotas et rudes vocas, Gell. 1, 2, 6: idiotae, the common throng, the fickle mass, Quint. 8, 3, 22.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*swé
  2. Proto-Indo-European*swéd-yo-s
  3. Proto-Hellenic*hwédios
  4. Ancient Greek ἴδιος(ídios)
  5. Ancient Greek -ώτης(-ṓtēs)
  6. Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης(idiṓtēs)
  7. Latinidiōta

From Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “person not involved in public affairs, layman”), from ἴδιος (ídios, “private”).

Descendants
  • Italianzoticofrom Late Latin idioticus
  • Catalanidiota
  • GermanIdiot
  • Italianidiota
  • Frenchidiotfrom Old French idiote
  • Romanianidiotfrom Old French idiote
  • Englishidiotfrom Old French idiote
  • Portugueseidiota
  • Spanishidiota
  • Englishidiotafrom Spanish idiota

Quick answers

What does idiōta mean in Latin?
idiōta, a noun, means “idiot, an ignorant, uneducated or illiterate person; convert; conversus (lay brother)”.
What is the genitive of idiōta?
The genitive singular is idiōtae. idiōta is masculine, first declension.
How do you pronounce idiōta?
In classical Latin, [ɪ.diˈoː.ta]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [i.diˈɔː.ta].
Where does idiōta come from?
Proto-Indo-European *swé → Proto-Indo-European *swéd-yo-s → Proto-Hellenic *hwédios → Ancient Greek ἴδιος (ídios) → Ancient Greek -ώτης (-ṓtēs) → Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs) → Latin idiōta.