" 
 :id•i•ot \""i-de-et\ n [ME, fr. L idiota ignorant person, fr. Gk idiotes one in a private station, ignorant person, fr. idios one's own, private] 1  a mentally retarded person requiring complete custodial care 2  a foolish or stupid person — id•i•ot•ic \'i-de-""a-tik\ adj — id•i•ot•i•cal•ly \-ti-k(e-)le\ adv 
 (c)2000 Zane Publishing, Inc. and Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  All rights reserved 
  "