adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
imbēcillus
imbēcillus (feminine imbēcilla, neuter imbēcillum, comparative imbēcillior)
Classical[ɪm.beːˈkɪl.lʊs]Ecclesiastical[im.beˈt͡ʃil.lus]
Meaning
- adjectiveweak, feeble
See imbecillior for a quote from Cicero.
- adjectivecowardly
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | imbēcillus | imbēcilla inbēcilla | imbēcillum inbēcillum |
| genitive | imbēcillī inbēcillī | imbēcillae inbēcillae | imbēcillī inbēcillī |
| dative | imbēcillō inbēcillō | imbēcillae inbēcillae | imbēcillō inbēcillō |
| accusative | imbēcillum imbēcillem, inbēcillum | imbēcillam imbēcillem, inbēcillam | imbēcillum inbēcillum |
| ablative | imbēcillō inbēcillō | imbēcillā inbēcillā | imbēcillō inbēcillō |
| vocative | imbēcille inbēcille | imbēcilla inbēcilla | imbēcillum inbēcillum |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | imbēcillī imbēcillēs, inbēcillī | imbēcillae imbēcillēs, inbēcillae | imbēcilla imbēcillia, inbēcilla |
| genitive | imbēcillōrum imbēcillium, inbēcillōrum | imbēcillārum imbēcillium, inbēcillārum | imbēcillōrum imbēcillium, inbēcillōrum |
| dative | imbēcillīs imbēcillibus | imbēcillīs imbēcillibus | imbēcillīs imbēcillibus |
| accusative | imbēcillōs imbēcillēs, inbēcillōs | imbēcillās imbēcillēs, inbēcillās | imbēcilla imbēcillia, inbēcilla |
| ablative | imbēcillīs imbēcillibus | imbēcillīs imbēcillibus | imbēcillīs imbēcillibus |
| vocative | imbēcillī imbēcillēs, inbēcillī | imbēcillae imbēcillēs, inbēcillae | imbēcilla imbēcillia, inbēcilla |
imbēcillus (inb-), a, um (also im-bēcillis, e, Sen. de Ira, 3, 28, 3; id. de Clem. 2, 6, 3; v. Neue, Formenl. 2, 93 sq.), adj.,
I. weak, feeble (class.; cf.: debilis, imbellis).
I. Of the body.
A. Of living beings:
cum homo imbecillus a valentissima bestia laniatur, Cic. Fam. 7, 1, 3: multi sunt imbecilli senes ... quam fuit imbecillus P. Africani filius! quam tenui aut nulla potius valetudine! id. de Sen. 11, 35: et absentes (amici) assunt et egentes abundant et imbecilli valent, etc., id. Lael. 7, 23: imbecilliores (opp. firmiores), Quint. 5, 10, 49: Marius et valetudine et natura imbecillior, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 10, 3: nemo e nobis imbecillus fuit, cujus salus ac valetudo non sustentaretur Caesaris cura, indisposed, Vell. 2, 114, 1.—Subst.: imbecillorum esse aecum misererier, Lucr. 5, 1023.—B. Of things:
vox, Quint. 11, 3, 13: frons, id. 12, 5, 4: pulsus venarum (with exigui), Cels. 3, 19: imbecillissimus ac facillimus sanguis, Sen. Ben. 4, 18: accedent anni et tractari mollius aetas Imbecilla volet, Hor. S. 2, 2, 86: nescio quomodo imbecillior est medicina quam morbus, Cic. Att. 10, 14. 2: terra infecunda ad omnia atque imbecilla, Plin. 17, 5, 3, § 35: vina (opp. valida), id. 14, 21, 27, § 134: imbecillissimam materiam esse omne olus, the least nourishing, Cels. 2, 18.—In a different sense: ovum durum valentissimae materiae est, molle vel sorbile imbecillissimae, very easy of digestion, Cels. 2, 18: simulacra vultus imbecilla ac mortalia sunt: forma mentis aeterna, Tac. Agr. 46: regnum vobis trado firmum, si boni eritis: si mali, imbecillum, Sall. J. 10, 6.— II. Of the mind:
qui eam superstitionem imbecilli animi atque anilis putent, Cic. Div. 2, 60, 125: ingenia, Quint. 2, 8, 12; cf.: imbecilliores vel animo vel fortuna, Cic. Lael. 19, 70; id. Rep. 1, 34: motus fortunae, id. Fin. 5, 24, 71: ab imbecillis accusatoribus accusari, id. Q. Fr. 2, 6, 6: suspiciones, Tac. A. 2, 76.—Subst.: ignavi et imbecilli, Cic. Rep. 1, 32; Sen. Ep. 85.—Hence, adv.: imbēcillē, weakly, feebly, faintly (very rare; perh. only in the comp.): iis, quae videntur, imbecillius assentiuntur, Cic. Ac. 2, 17, 52: imbecillius horrent dolorem, id. Tusc. 5, 30, 85.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
imbēcillus (inb-) adj.
with comp, weak, feeble: homo: senes: aetas, H.: imbecillior est medicina quam morbus: simulacra voltūs, perishable, Ta.: regnum, S.: animus: imbecilliores fortunā. —Plur m. as subst: ignavi et imbecilli.
Origins
Unknown; perhaps from earlier *imbeccillus, from in- + bacillum + -us, as if “without support, feeble”, but De Vaan finds it “far-fetched”.
Descendants
- Catalanimbècil
- Italianimbecille
- Frenchimbécilefrom Middle French imbécille
- Englishimbecilefrom Middle French imbécille
- Occitanimbecil
- Portugueseimbecil
- Spanishimbécil
- Corsicanimbicille
- Galicianimbécil
- Piedmonteseimbecil