Morons

Moron is a historical term that was once used in psychology and education to describe a category of intellectual disability. The word derives from the Greek moros, meaning dull or foolish, and was part of a triad that included idiot and imbecile in early 20th-century classifications. This system was used in the United States and Europe as a way of labeling cognitive abilities based on evolving IQ concepts and observed functioning.

In many formulations, a moron referred to someone with mild to moderate intellectual disability, roughly in the IQ range around 50–70, though exact cutoffs varied by era and tester. These labels were used alongside other categories to guide care, education, and social policy, but they also reflected and reinforced stigmas about mental disability.

Starting in the mid-20th century, these terms were abandoned by professionals as understanding of intellectual disability progressed and advocacy emphasized person-centered language. Today, clinical and educational terminology uses "intellectual disability" with severity levels such as mild, moderate, severe, and profound, or other more precise descriptors. The word moron is now widely considered offensive and inappropriate in professional contexts and is generally avoided in respectful discourse.

As a historical artifact, the term is studied to understand the history of intelligence testing, eugenics movements, and disability rights, illustrating how language influences attitudes and policy toward people with cognitive differences.