идиот (idiot)
What does идиот (idiot) mean? идиот (idiot) is a Russian moderate that translates to “idiot” in English.
Literal Translation
idiot
Meaning & Usage
01
"idiot"
Same word, same meaning, borrowed from Greek via French like its English counterpart. But in Russian it has a literary weight that the English version lacks — Dostoevsky's novel 'Идиот' (The Idiot, 1869) gave the word a philosophical dimension. Prince Myshkin is the 'idiot' — genuinely good in a world that considers goodness stupid.
Examples in the Wild
A general-purpose insult for someone acting stupidly. Less crude than 'дебил,' more formal.