- complacently or inanely foolish
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
fat•u•ous /ˈfætʃuəs/USA pronunciation
adj.
fat•u•ous•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- foolish or inane;
silly:fatuous remarks.
fat•u•ous•ness, n. [uncountable]
fat•u•ous
(fach′o̅o̅ əs),USA pronunciation adj.
fat′u•ous•ly, adv.
fat′u•ous•ness, n.
- foolish or inane, esp. in an unconscious, complacent manner;
silly. - unreal;
illusory.
- Latin fatuus silly, foolish, idiotic; see -ous
- 1625–35
fat′u•ous•ness, n.
- 1. dense, dull, dim-witted. See foolish.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
fatuous /ˈfætjʊəs/ adj
'fatuous' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):