asinine

From Latin asinīnus (“of a donkey or ass”).

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈæs.ɪ.naɪn/, /ˈæs.ə.naɪn/

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asinine (comparative more asinine, superlative most asinine)

1. Very foolish; failing to exercise intelligence or judgement or rationality.

   Synonyms: foolish, obstinate

   • 1922, Michael Arlen, “2/2/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days‎^[1]:

     They danced on silently, softly. Their feet played tricks to the beat of the tireless measure, that exquisitely asinine blare which is England's punishment for having lost America.

   • 2023 August 24, Sarah Naftalis & Lauren Wells, “The Roast” (8:36 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows‎^[2], season 5, episode 8, spoken by Baron Afanas (Doug Jones):

     “Look at this festive assembly. All of us, gathered here together, chuckling at jokes and silliness.” [laughter] “And jackanapery.” [rim shots] “I guess there's only one thing left to say. What is this shit?” [rim shot] [laughter] “[laughs] Very good.” “You call yourselves vampires? Bah. This entire evening has been nothing but a pageant of insipid nonsense.” “[laughing] Yes.” “Worshipping at the altar of your own mediocre frivolity. A jester's hollow dance. And who is laughing?” “Yeah! [whoops] [grunts]” “Vampires are supposed to have blood orgies and slaughter circles. Gah! You have all gone soft. You even invited humans to this asinine affair.”

2. Characteristic of an ass (an asshole): objectionably inconsiderate or jerky.
   • 2017 February 10, Tim DeForest, Radio by the Book: Adaptations of Literature and Fiction on the Airwaves, McFarland, →ISBN, page 63:

     Philo Vance is an asinine jerk - a rude, Nietzschean snob who holds most of the people he meets and the things he sees in utter disdain. He's an insufferable smarty-pants, always convinced he's right and that everyone else is wrong. Of course, he is right, but that doesn't make him any less of a jerk.

3. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of donkeys.

   Synonym: donkeyish

   • 1881, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, The Ingenious Knight: Don Quixote de la Mancha, page 84:

     Don Quixote had put himself but a little way ayont the village of Don Diego, when he encountered two apparent priests, or students, and two husbandmen, who came mounted on four asinine beasts.

• asinary (obsolete)
• assy (informal)

• asinicide

• IPA^(key): /a.zi.nin/
• Homophone: asinines

asinine

1. feminine singular of asinin

• IPA^(key): /a.ziˈni.ne/
• Rhymes: -ine
• Hyphenation: a‧si‧nì‧ne

asinine

1. feminine plural of asinino

• insanie

asinīne

1. vocative masculine singular of asinīnus