noun
ignoramus
ihg-nuh-RAY-muhs
Ignoramus (noun) means a person who is strikingly uninformed or unwilling to learn; a fool. Example: “Only an ignoramus would ignore the safety warnings on the label.”
noun
1
A person who is strikingly uninformed or unwilling to learn; a fool.
"Only an ignoramus would ignore the safety warnings on the label."
"He called himself an ignoramus about wine, then ordered the most expensive bottle."
"The problem is that visual ignoramuses, such as this writer, can't think of that many pictures and end up drawing question marks where a frog should be."
— Philip Beadle, Mind maps: rubbish in theory, but handy in practice (2006)
"“The cost of appearing with this bloviating ignoramus is obvious, it seems to me,” he said on “This Week,” the ABC News program."
— Clyde Haberman, Trying to Solve the Great Trump Mystery (2012)
How to use ignoramus
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA blunt, slightly comic put-down for someone who really doesn't know what they're talking about.
When to use it
Informal and a bit mocking — avoid in professional writing.
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Word forms
- Plural
- ignoramuses, ignorami
- Third person singular
- ignoramuses
- Past tense
- ignoramused
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Only an _____ would ignore the safety warnings on the label.
Etymology
From the name of the foolish lawyer character Ignoramus in George Ruggle's 1615 play of the same name; ultimately from Latin ignoramus, "we do not know."
Class of 1615
ignoramus joined the language around 1615.
See the full Class of 1615 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for ignoramus
See all rhymes for ignoramus →Frequently asked questions
What does “ignoramus” mean?
The word “ignoramus” means a person who is strikingly uninformed or unwilling to learn; a fool. In plain terms, a blunt, slightly comic put-down for someone who really doesn't know what they're talking about.
How do you pronounce “ignoramus”?
“Ignoramus” is pronounced ihg-nuh-RAY-muhs (/ˌɪɡ.nəˈɹeɪ.məs/ in IPA).
How do you use “ignoramus” in a sentence?
Here is “ignoramus” used in a sentence: “Only an ignoramus would ignore the safety warnings on the label.”
What is another word for “ignoramus”?
Words with a similar meaning to “ignoramus” include dunce, jay, know-nothing, lack-latin, mumpsimus and nescient.
What is the opposite of “ignoramus”?
The opposite of “ignoramus” — its antonyms — are genius and scholar.
What part of speech is “ignoramus”?
“Ignoramus” is a noun.
Where does the word “ignoramus” come from?
The word “ignoramus” dates back to around 1615 and comes from Latin. From the name of the foolish lawyer character Ignoramus in George Ruggle's 1615 play of the same name; ultimately from Latin ignoramus, "we do not know.".
