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Webster 1913 Edition


Inane

In-ane′

,
Adj.
[L.
inanis
.]
Without contents; empty; void of sense or intelligence; purposeless; pointless; characterless; useless.
“Vague and inane instincts.”
I. Taylor.
In-ane′ly
,
adv.

In-ane′

,
Noun.
That which is void or empty.
[R.]
The undistinguishable
inane
of infinite space.
Locke.

Webster 1828 Edition


Inane

INA'NE

,
Adj.
[L. inanis, empty.] Empty; void; sometimes used as a noun, to express a void space.

Definition 2024


inane

inane

English

Adjective

inane (comparative more inane, superlative most inane)

  1. Lacking sense or meaning (often to the point of boredom or annoyance).
    This supremely gifted kid told me that in the early elementary grades, the songs sung in music class were so inane that he wanted to skip grades already! Eventually he did, so better late than never.
  2. Purposeless; pointless.
    • I. Taylor
      Vague and inane instincts.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

inane (plural inanes)

  1. That which is void or empty.
    • Locke
      The undistinguishable inane of infinite space.
    • 1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:
      [...] whom we watch as we watch the clouds careering in the windy, bottomless inane, or read about like characters in ancient and rather fabulous annals.

Anagrams


Italian

Etymology

From Latin inanis

Adjective

inane m, f (masculine and feminine plural inani)

  1. (literary) useless, vain, inane

Synonyms

Derived terms

Anagrams


Latin

Adjective

ināne

  1. nominative neuter singular of inānis
  2. accusative neuter singular of inānis
  3. vocative neuter singular of inānis

References

  • inane in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • Félix Gaffiot (1934), “inane”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
  • Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
    • (ambiguous) rich in ideas: sententiis abundans or creber (opp. sententiis inanis)
    • (ambiguous) mere words; empty sound: inanis verborum sonitus
    • (ambiguous) senseless rant: inanium verborum flumen
    • (ambiguous) to be misled by a vain hope: inani, falsa spe duci, induci

Portuguese

Adjective

inane m, f (plural inanes, comparable)

  1. inane (lacking sense or meaning)

Synonyms

Related terms


Spanish

Etymology

From Latin inanis.

Adjective

inane m, f (plural inanes)

  1. inane; pointless