אִידְיוֹט
idyótmasculine
In Hebrew, the word for idiot is אִידְיוֹט (idyót). If unsure, use אִידְיוֹט. Wiktionary also lists גולם \ גֹּלֶם (gólem) and שׁוֹטֶה (shoté).
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| אִידְיוֹט | idyót | masculine |
| גולם \ גֹּלֶם | gólem | |
| שׁוֹטֶה | shoté | masculine |
The term is used to describe a person of low general intelligence.
Which one should you use?
אִידְיוֹט is a common modern insult, whereas גולם refers to a person who is mindless or lacks agency, often used in a more literary or descriptive sense. In contrast, שׁוֹטֶה is a more formal or biblical term for a fool or someone lacking mental faculty.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
אִידְיוֹט is a colloquial direct loanword used very commonly in casual, everyday Hebrew. שׁוֹטֶה serves as a more formal or biblical alternative, and גולם is used in literary contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular loanword אִידְיוֹט has the feminine form אִידְיוֹטִית and the masculine plural form אִידְיוֹטִים.
How do you pronounce it?
idyót
Did you know?
- In Jewish folklore, a גולם is a creature made of clay brought to life by mystical means. Because these beings lack a soul and a mind of their own, the word evolved into a term for a mindless person.
- While אִידְיוֹט is a direct loanword, the biblical term שׁוֹטֶה is used in the book of Proverbs to describe a 'fool' who rejects wisdom rather than someone with a clinical intellectual disability.
- The root of גולם relates to the idea of 'rolling' or 'bundling' something together, which evokes the image of a shapeless lump of matter.
Examples in context
- הוא פשוט אִידְיוֹט.Hu pashut idiot.He is just an idiot.
- הוא מתנהג כמו אִידְיוֹט בבית הספר.Hu mitnaheg kemo idiot be'veit ha'sefer.He behaves like an idiot at school.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries גולם, CC BY-SA 4.0.
