Stultification
/ˌstʌltɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun
The act of making someone or something appear foolish or of becoming ineffectual through dullness or absurdity.
Did you know?Stultification ultimately traces back to Latin stultus, meaning “foolish” or “stupid,” so the word carries an ancient built-in curse of humiliation and mental dimming.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
stultus
“foolish, stupid”
Late Latin
Latin
stultificare
“to make foolish”
17th Century
English
stultify
“to make foolish or absurd; to make ineffective”
18th Century
English
stultification
“the act or process of making foolish or ineffective”
Modern English
English
stultification
“the act of making someone or something appear foolish or ineffectual”
Explore more surprising origins