The difference between Imbecile and Oaf
When used as nouns, imbecile means a person with limited who can perform and think only like a young child, in medical circles meaning a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal five to seven-year-old child, whereas oaf means a person, especially a large male, who is clumsy or a simpleton.
Imbecile is also adjective with the meaning: destitute of strength, whether of body or mind.
check bellow for the other definitions of Imbecile and Oaf
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Imbecile as a noun (obsolete):
A person with limited who can perform and think only like a young child, in medical circles meaning a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal five to seven-year-old child.
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Imbecile as a noun (pejorative):
A fool, an idiot.
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Imbecile as an adjective (dated):
Destitute of strength, whether of body or mind; feeble; impotent; especially, mentally weak.
Examples:
"hospitals for the imbecile and insane"
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Oaf as a noun (pejorative):
A person, especially a large male, who is clumsy or a simpleton; an idiot.
Examples:
"Ouch! You dropped that box on my feet, you lumbering oaf!"
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Oaf as a noun (obsolete):
An elf's child; a changeling left by fairies or goblins, hence, a deformed or foolish child.