asinine

[ as-uh-nahyn ]
/ ˈæs əˌnaɪn /

adjective

foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid: It is surprising that supposedly intelligent people can make such asinine statements.
of or like an ass: asinine obstinacy; asinine features.

Origin of asinine

1600–10; < Latin asinīnus, equivalent to asin(us) ass1 + -īnus -ine1

OTHER WORDS FROM asinine

as·i·nine·ly, adverb as·i·nin·i·ty [as-uh-nin-i-tee] /ˌæs əˈnɪn ɪ ti/, noun

Example sentences from the Web for asininity

  • These receptions are stupefying in their asininity, but they come to pass in most consulates, and those at Tunis are no exception.

  • The man sinks; the animal soars—thrusting his jaw out sidewise in a satisfied yawn, secure in the serenity of his asininity.

  • Nature has kindly preordained that there shall be no bar in the intimate relations of humanity and asininity.

    Letters of Peregrine Pickle |George P. Upton
  • Still, he could not comprehend how they had had the asininity to "decline" it at all.

    A Black Adonis |Linn Boyd Porter

British Dictionary definitions for asininity

asinine
/ (ˈæsɪˌnaɪn) /

adjective

obstinate or stupid
resembling an ass

Derived forms of asinine

asininely, adverb asininity (ˌæsɪˈnɪnɪtɪ), noun

Word Origin for asinine

C16: from Latin asinīnus, from asinus ass 1