What does asinine mean?
Asinine is an adjective used to describe something utterly foolish, stupid, or absurd — a remark, decision, or idea so lacking in sense that it invites scorn or exasperation. Calling a proposal asinine is a pointed way of dismissing it as not merely unwise but laughably irrational, which gives the word a sharper, more contemptuous edge than milder terms like 'silly'. Its figurative force comes from its literal origin: it derives from the Latin asinus, meaning ass or donkey, so to call something asinine is, etymologically, to compare it to the proverbial stupidity of that animal. In contemporary usage the figurative sense dominates almost entirely; the literal, donkey-related sense survives mostly in scientific contexts such as zoological classification. Asinine works well in both speech and writing when a speaker wants a firm, slightly formal rebuke, as in 'it would be asinine to ignore the evidence'. Its derived forms include the adverb asininely and the noun asininity.
Utterly foolish or stupid; senseless.
"Canceling the flight over a clerical error was an asinine decision."
Carries a contemptuous, dismissive tone — stronger than 'silly' or 'foolish' in everyday judgment.
Of or relating to an ass (donkey); ass-like.
"The zoologist noted the animal's distinctly asinine features — long ears and a short mane."
Rare in general usage; found chiefly in technical or literary descriptions.
Calling someone 'asinine' is literally calling them donkey-like — it comes straight from the Latin word for ass.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of asinine
Asinine comes from the Latin asinus, meaning 'ass' or 'donkey', via its Latin-derived adjective form asininus ('of or like an ass'). English adopted the word in the early modern period, with the figurative sense of 'extremely foolish' arising from the long-standing association of the donkey with stupidity. It shares this Latin root with related words such as asinity (foolishness) and with the zoological genus name Asinus for true asses.
Related word forms
How asinine is actually used
Asinine is a fairly formal-sounding but widely understood term of criticism; it is stronger and more contemptuous than 'silly' and is often used in exasperated or dismissive judgments of behavior, remarks, or ideas. The literal 'donkey-related' sense survives mainly in zoology (e.g. the classification 'Asinus') and is rare in everyday speech.
Easily confused with asinine
An assignee is a person to whom a right or property is legally transferred, whereas asinine describes something extremely foolish.