ignoramus

Ignoramus is a noun used to describe an ignorant or foolish person. It is pejorative, often used in satire, debate, or informal speech to label someone as uninformed or thoughtless. In modern English, the term is relatively rare in formal writing and can be considered insulting or dismissive, so it is usually used with caution.

Etymology: The word comes from the Latin ignoramus, meaning “we do not know” or “we ignore,” and is the first-person plural present indicative form of ignorare. The English adoption dates from the early modern period and retains its literal sense as a label for someone deemed ignorant rather than a neutral description.

Usage notes: As a borrowed term with a sharp charge, ignoramus appears more in rhetoric than in objective discourse. It can be used playfully to mock a poorly informed remark or harshly as a personal insult. Because it targets a person’s supposed lack of knowledge rather than a specific fact, it may trigger ad hominem or snobbery concerns in careful writing.

Variations: The plural forms include ignoramuses and ignorami, though ignoramuses is more common. Related terms include ignorant and ignorance, which describe lack of knowledge in a broader sense, and pedant, which implies excessive attention to detail rather than general ignorance.