asinine

English

WOTD – 9 January 2008

Etymology

From Latin asinīnus (of a donkey or ass).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA(key): /ˈæs.ɪ.naɪn/, /ˈæs.ə.naɪn/
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  • Rhymes: -aɪn

Adjective

asinine (comparative more asinine, superlative most asinine)

  1. very foolish; failing to exercise intelligence or judgment or rationality
    • 1922, Michael Arlen, “2/2/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
      They danced on silently, softly. Their feet played tricks to the beat of the tireless measure, that exquisitely asinine blare which is England's punishment for having lost America.
    Synonyms: foolish, obstinate
  2. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of donkeys
    • 1881, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, The Ingenious Knight: Don Quixote de la Mancha (page 84)
      Don Quixote had put himself but a little way ayont the village of Don Diego, when he encountered two apparent priests, or students, and two husbandmen, who came mounted on four asinine beasts.
    Synonym: donkeyish

Derived terms

Translations


French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /a.zi.nin/
  • Homophone: asinines

Adjective

asinine

  1. feminine singular of asinin

Italian

Adjective

asinine

  1. Feminine plural of adjective asinino.

Anagrams


Latin

Adjective

asinīne

  1. vocative masculine singular of asinīnus
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