English
asinine
Asinine comes from Latin asinīnus ‘of a donkey or ass’, and goes back to asinus.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEasinus‘ass, donkey’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEasinīnus‘of a donkey or ass’
- Englishearliest quotation 1881asinine
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEasinus‘ass, donkey’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEasinīnus‘of a donkey or ass’
- Englishearliest quotation 1881asinine
Earliest quotation: 1881, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, The Ingenious Knight: Don Quixote de la Mancha: “Don Quixote had put himself but a little way…”
Linked words
through Latin asinus ‘ass, donkey’
Today it means
adj Very foolish; failing to exercise intelligence or judgement or rationality.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin asinus / asinine