Stupidity
/stuːˈpɪd.ɪ.ti/noun
The quality of being unintelligent, foolish, or lacking good judgment.
Did you know?Its ancestor, Latin stūpidus, originally meant “amazed” or “stupefied,” so the word’s earliest vibe was closer to being mentally dazed than simply “dumb.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steu-
“to push, strike, or stun”
Latin
Latin
stupēre
“to be stunned, amazed, or numb”
Latin
Latin
stupidus
“stunned; amazed; dazed”
Old French
Old French
stupidité
“stupidity; dullness”
Middle English
English
stupidity
“dullness of mind; foolishness”
Modern English
English
stupidity
“the quality of being foolish or lacking judgment”
Explore more surprising origins