--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The word 'idiot' comes from a Greek root…" description: "\"The word 'idiot' comes from a Greek root meaning private person. Idiocy is the female defect: intent on their private lives, women follow their fate th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/rebecca-west-1248_affair_the-word-idiot-comes-from-a-greek-root-m_1544458.jpg" --- # The word 'idiot' comes from a Greek root meaning private… ![“The word 'idiot' comes from a Greek root meaning private person. Idiocy is the female defect: intent on their private lives, women follow their fate through a darkness deep as that cast by malformed cells in the brain. It is no worse than the male defect, which is lunacy: men are so obsessed by…” quote by Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/rebecca-west-1248_affair_the-word-idiot-comes-from-a-greek-root-m_1544458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/rebecca-west-1248_affair_the-word-idiot-comes-from-a-greek-root-m_1544458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/rebecca-west-1248_affair_the-word-idiot-comes-from-a-greek-root-m_1544458.jpg) > “The word 'idiot' comes from a Greek root meaning private person. Idiocy is the female defect: intent on their private lives, women follow their fate through a darkness deep as that cast by malformed cells in the brain. It is no worse than the male defect, which is lunacy: men are so obsessed by public affairs that they see the world as by moonlight, which shows the outlines of every object but not the details indicative of their nature.” [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts gendered stereotypes, linking 'idiot' to private focus in women and 'lunacy' to public obsession in men, suggesting both are flawed perspectives. **In simple terms:** Women are private, men are public; both are flawed. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance private and public concerns. Themes gender stereotypes identity perception psychology Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - political discourse - career planning - mental health awareness Key Concepts stereotype critique social commentary gender theory Questions to Reflect On - How do modern perspectives challenge these gendered labels? - Can balancing private and public focus improve decision making? A Different Perspective The analogy relies on outdated, essentialist views of gender. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Defects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defects/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Idiocy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiocy/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Lunacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunacy/) [Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moonlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonlight/) [Private life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-life/) [Private lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-lives/) [Private person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-person/) [Public affairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-affairs/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women and men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-and-men/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Idiocy is the female defect ... It is no worse than the male defect, which is lunacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/idiocy-is-the-female-defect-it-is-no-worse-than-the-male-defect-which/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“Authors," he murmured with a grin. "You all think your work is flawless, and anyone who tries to change a single word is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/authors-he-murmured-with-a-grin-you-all-think-your-work-is-flawless/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Our word 'idiot' comes from the Greek name for the man who took no share in public matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/our-word-idiot-comes-from-the-greek-name-for-the-man-who-took-no/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [The Greek word for idiot, literally translated, means one who does not participate in politics. That sums up my conviction on the subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-pyle/the-greek-word-for-idiot-literally-translated-means-one-who-does-not/) Gladys Pyle > [“Perry: Look up "idiot" in the dictionary. You know what you'll find? Harry: A picture of me? Perry: No! The definition of the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/perry-look-up-idiot-in-the-dictionary-you-know-what-you-ll-find-harry/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [“There is a duality to darkness known only to those who’ve been infected by its touch. Everyone knows the shadows: shallow, comfortable, mostly harmless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-drake/there-is-a-duality-to-darkness-known-only-to-those-who-ve-been/) [Darrell Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-drake/) > [Golf is typical capitalist lunacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/golf-is-typical-capitalist-lunacy/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [She is furious with herself for her own stupidity. Opening herself up like this, voluntarily, to a lifetime of worry and anguish. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/she-is-furious-with-herself-for-her-own-stupidity-opening-herself-up/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“How do people know they are sane? Can a person be gripped by lunacy, only to be released a short time later, never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-remy/how-do-people-know-they-are-sane-can-a-person-be-gripped-by-lunacy/) [Dee Remy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-remy/) > [“It must be nice to be righteous; from where I stand it looks like fucking lunacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/it-must-be-nice-to-be-righteous-from-where-i-stand-it-looks-like/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [The human race has today the means for annihilating itself--either in a fit of complete lunacy, i.e., in a big war...or by the careless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-born/the-human-race-has-today-the-means-for-annihilating-itself-either-in/) [Max Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-born/) > [“He is smitten on the brain, -he reads and writes verses! I caught him in the act! Fools might say he was inspired; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-john-trelawny/he-is-smitten-on-the-brain-he-reads-and-writes-verses-i-caught-him-in/) [Edward John Trelawny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-john-trelawny/) > [“When you are gunning to be like other people, you are foolishly repeating their mistakes, and the worst of it all is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-are-gunning-to-be-like-other-people-you-are-foolishly/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Oh, all kinds of lunacy happens in Ireland, all kinds of lunacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/oh-all-kinds-of-lunacy-happens-in-ireland-all-kinds-of-lunacy/) [Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/) > [If you accept the institutional lunacy, then the policies are rational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-accept-the-institutional-lunacy-then-the-policies-are-rational/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Rebecca West > [I see the main problem of my life, and indeed anybody's life, as the balancing of competitive freedoms ... a sense of mutual obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-see-the-main-problem-of-my-life-and-indeed-anybody-s-life-as-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“There is, of course, no reason for the existence of the male sex except that sometimes one needs help with moving the piano.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/there-is-of-course-no-reason-for-the-existence-of-the-male-sex-except/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“At the top of a hill our automobile stuck in a snowdrift. Peasants ran out of a cottage near by, shouting with laughter because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/at-the-top-of-a-hill-our-automobile-stuck-in-a-snowdrift-peasants-ran/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [We all drew on the comfort which is given out by the major works of Mozart, which is as real and material as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/we-all-drew-on-the-comfort-which-is-given-out-by-the-major-works-of/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Christianity must be regarded not as a final revelation but as a phase of revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/christianity-must-be-regarded-not-as-a-final-revelation-but-as-a/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Art and propaganda have this much connection, that if a propaganda makes art impossible, it is clearly damned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/art-and-propaganda-have-this-much-connection-that-if-a-propaganda/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [The American struggle for the vote was much more difficult than the English for the simple reason that it was much more easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-american-struggle-for-the-vote-was-much-more-difficult-than-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [ Like all bad drivers, he \[Henry Andrews\] thought he was the best driver in the world... ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/like-all-bad-drivers-he-henry-andrews-thought-he-was-the-best-driver/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [The childhood of the individual and the race is full of fears, and panic-stricken attempts to avert what is feared by placating the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-childhood-of-the-individual-and-the-race-is-full-of-fears-and/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Humanity is never more sphinxlike than when it is expressing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/humanity-is-never-more-sphinxlike-than-when-it-is-expressing-itself/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [ \[On Jane Austen:\] To believe her limited in range because she was harmonious in method is as sensible as to imagine that when the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/on-jane-austen-to-believe-her-limited-in-range-because-she-was/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [a good oyster cannot please the palate as acutely as a bad one can revolt it, and a good oyster cannot make him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/a-good-oyster-cannot-please-the-palate-as-acutely-as-a-bad-one-can/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [If there is a God, I don't think He would demand that anyone bow down or stand up to Him. I often have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/if-there-is-a-god-i-don-t-think-he-would-demand-that-anyone-bow-down/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Any authentic work of art must start an argument between the artist and his audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/any-authentic-work-of-art-must-start-an-argument-between-the-artist/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [... there has never been a period in history when there have been necessary killings which has not been instantly followed by a period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/there-has-never-been-a-period-in-history-when-there-have-been/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) [Explore all 264 Rebecca West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) ## More Affair quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/our-guiding-principle-was-that-design-is-neither-an-intellectual-nor/) [Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/) > [I wonder if it's possible to have a love affair that lasts forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-wonder-if-it-s-possible-to-have-a-love-affair-that-lasts-forever/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [For a young man to start his career with a love affair with an older woman was quite de rigueur ... Of course, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vita-sackville-west/for-a-young-man-to-start-his-career-with-a-love-affair-with-an-older/) [Vita Sackville-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vita-sackville-west/) > [As long as the state permits itself to interfere in the affairs of literature, literature has the right to interfere with the affairs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/as-long-as-the-state-permits-itself-to-interfere-in-the-affairs-of/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [Love is mainly an affair of short spasms. If these spasms disappoint us, love dies. It is very seldom that it weathers the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/love-is-mainly-an-affair-of-short-spasms-if-these-spasms-disappoint/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-fundamental-principle-that-governs-or-ought-to-govern-human/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [My hope does not rest in the affairs of this world. It rests in Christ who is coming again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/my-hope-does-not-rest-in-the-affairs-of-this-world-it-rests-in-christ/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/not-everyone-likes-the-stable-gradual-rise-of-our-country-there-are/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) Michael Atherton > [“I ripped the sketch from the wall. "Liar." Edward looked more ravaged than usual. "That is a terrible word, coming from you." "Yup." "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/i-ripped-the-sketch-from-the-wall-liar-edward-looked-more-ravaged/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [For some people, a one-night stand doesn't make any difference in a seven-year love affair. 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