English

Adjective

feeble-minded ‎(comparative more feeble-minded, superlative most feeble-minded)

1. Weak in intellectual power; wanting firmness or constancy; lacking intelligence; irresolute; vacillating; imbecile.

Usage notes

This term was used loosely in the late 19th and the early 20th century to describe a variety of mental deficiencies, often in a medical context (as were cretin, idiot, imbecile and moron). It was originally not meant to be considered a pejorative term. By the mid-20th century, it was no longer used in medical contexts and became considered a pejorative.

Related terms

• feeble-mindedly
• feeble-mindedness

Translations

References

• feeble-minded in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913