βλάκας

Greek

Alternative forms

• βλαξ m (vlax) (dated)

Etymology

Inherited from Ancient Greek βλάξ (bláx, “soft”) from the accusative singular τὸν (tòn) βλάκα (bláka), from Proto-Indo-European *mel- (“soft, weak, tender”) (through *μλάξ [mláx] > *μβλάξ [mbláx]). Cognates include Latin mollis (“soft, mild”), Sanskrit मृदु (mṛdú, “soft, mild, weak”) and English mild.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvla.kas/
• Hyphenation: βλά‧κας

Noun

βλάκας • (vlákas) m (plural βλάκες)

1. (psychiatry, dated) person with moderate learning difficulties
2. idiot, moron, imbecile

Declension

Declension of βλάκας

	singular	plural
nominative	βλάκας •	βλάκες •
genitive	βλάκα •	βλακών •
accusative	βλάκα •	βλάκες •
vocative	βλάκα •	βλάκες •

Synonyms

• χαζός (chazós)
• ανόητος (anóitos, “silly”)
• κουτός (koutós, “silly”)

colloquial: bird names, denoting figuratively slow wit:

• κουτορνίθι n (koutorníthi)
• μπούφος m (boúfos)

Antonyms

• see: έξυπνος (éxypnos)

Derived terms

• αρχιβλάκας m (archivlákas, “born idiot”)
• βλακεία f (vlakeía, “nonsense, stupidity”)

Further reading

• “βλάκας”, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998