Inane

Fun Fact

Though “inane” is often used to describe foolishness, its original meaning was quite different—it comes from the Latin inanis, meaning “empty” or “void.” Early uses of the word referred to literal emptiness, including vast open spaces or philosophical notions of nothingness. Over time, it took on its modern meaning, suggesting a lack of intellectual or meaningful content, making it the perfect word for mindless chatter, reality TV, or pointless debates.