vacuous

UK: ˈvæk.ju.əs | US: ˈvæk.ju.əs

Definition

  1. adj. lacking intelligence or thought; empty-headed

  2. adj. empty or devoid of substance

  3. adj. (rare) having no content; vacant

Structure
vacu <empty>ous <adjective suffix>
Etymology

vacuous = vacu<empty> + ous<adjective suffix>

  • vacu (from Latin vacuus, meaning "empty")
  • ous (a suffix forming adjectives, indicating possession or quality)

Etymology Origin:
The word vacuous traces back to the Latin vacuus ("empty"), derived from vacare ("to be empty"). It entered English in the 17th century, originally describing literal emptiness (e.g., space) before evolving to describe intellectual or emotional emptiness. The suffix -ous (from Latin -osus) reinforces the adjectival form, emphasizing the quality of being empty.

Examples

  1. His vacuous stare suggested he hadn’t understood the question.

  2. The speech was filled with vacuous platitudes, lacking any real insight.

  3. The room felt eerily vacuous after all the furniture was removed.

  4. She sighed at the vacuous comments on social media.

  5. The desert landscape appeared vast and vacuous under the midday sun.