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imbécil

stupid

adjective noun eem-BEH-seel Rare

Origin: From Latin imbecillus ('weak, feeble').

Also means

imbecile

Usage Note

Imbécil functions as both adjective and noun and is common gender: el imbécil, la imbécil. It is a strong insult in informal registers; in formal or medical writing it once denoted a specific degree of intellectual disability (now obsolete in clinical use). The plural is imbéciles, always keeping the written accent.

Examples

"No seas imbécil y cierra la puerta."

Natural Translation

Don't be an idiot and close the door.

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