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

  1. 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.

  2. Imbecile as a noun (pejorative):

    A fool, an idiot.

  1. 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"

  1. 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!"

  2. Oaf as a noun (obsolete):

    An elf's child; a changeling left by fairies or goblins, hence, a deformed or foolish child.

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