idiot

n. [ F. idiot, L. idiota an uneducated, ignorant, ill-informed person, Gr. 'idiw`ths, also and orig., a private person, not holding public office, fr. 'i`dios proper, peculiar. See Idiom. ] 1. A man in private station, as distinguished from one holding a public office. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

St. Austin affirmed that the plain places of Scripture are sufficient to all laics, and all idiots or private persons. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An unlearned, ignorant, or simple person, as distinguished from the educated; an ignoramus. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Christ was received of idiots, of the vulgar people, and of the simpler sort, while he was rejected, despised, and persecuted even to death by the high priests, lawyers, scribes, doctors, and rabbis. C. Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A human being destitute of the ordinary intellectual powers, whether congenital, developmental, or accidental; commonly, a person without understanding from birth; a natural fool. In a former classification of mentally retarded people, idiot designated a person whose adult level of intelligence was equivalent to that of a three-year old or younger; this corresponded with an I.Q. level of approximately 25 or less. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Life . . . is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A fool; a simpleton; -- a term of reproach. [ 1913 Webster ]

Weenest thou make an idiot of our dame? Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]