different between ridiculous vs fatuous

English

Alternative forms

• rediculous (archaic, eye dialect, or misspelling)
• radiculous (rare, obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin r?diculus (“laughable, ridiculous”); see ridicule.

Pronunciation

• (Canada, UK, US) IPA^(key): /???d?kj?l?s/, /?i??d?kj?l?s/
• (Wales) IPA^(key): /???d?kl?s/
• Rhymes: -?kj?l?s

Adjective

ridiculous (comparative more ridiculous, superlative most ridiculous)

1. Deserving of ridicule; foolish; absurd.

   Synonyms: silly, willy nilly, frivolous, goofy, funny, humorous, absurd, odd, surreal, unreasonable; see also Thesaurus:absurd

   Antonyms: straightforward, serious, somber, solemn

2. Astonishing; unbelievable.

Derived terms

• ridic
• ridiculousness

Related terms

• deride
• derision
• ridicule
• ridiculable
• ridiculosity
• ridiculously

Translations

Further reading

• ridiculous at OneLook Dictionary Search
• ridiculous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• ridiculous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Latin fatuus (“foolish, silly, simple”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?fæt.ju.?s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?fæt?.u.?s/

Adjective

fatuous (comparative more fatuous, superlative most fatuous)

1. Obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness.
   • 2004, Frank Tallis, Love Sick: Love as a Mental Illness (page 46)

     A fatuous love affair can easily result in a fatuous marriage. A couple who hardly know each other and, indeed, may not even really like each other, make a commitment that has little chance of being honoured.

Synonyms

• (obnoxiously stupid): childish, imbecilic, inane, insipid, puerile

Related terms

• fatuity
• fatuously
• fatuousness
• infatuate

Translations