Asinine

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈæs.ɪ.naɪn/

Definitions

1. Extremely foolish or stupid in a manner that is laughably absurd and shows a complete lack of sense or judgment
2. Lacking intelligence or common sense to a degree that is humorous and demonstrates a profound foolishness or absurdity
3. Describing actions or thoughts that are so foolishly illogical or nonsensical that they evoke laughter due to their sheer stupidity

Etymology: Long before it meant "very foolish," this word simply meant "of a donkey." It comes from Latin "asinīnus," which describes anything belonging to or resembling an ass, and that Latin word is built on "asinus," the donkey itself. The donkey's reputation for stubbornness and dim-wittedness did the rest, so the adjective drifted from a plain description of the animal to a sharp insult for people who behaved like one. The Latin root reaches back to ancient Italic speech and, further still, to Proto-Indo-European, where the suffix "-nos" was attached to a stem for the animal. The suffix "-īnus" is the same ending that turns many Latin nouns into adjectives meaning "pertaining to," so the word is a straightforward derivation rather than a coinage. Its surface sense in English is therefore the animal's own, and the insult is a later, extended use.

Synonyms: foolish, stupid, absurd

Antonyms: wise, sensible