ridiculed
UK[ˈrɪdɪkjuːld]US[ˈrɪdɪkjuːld]
v
to make someone or something seem silly or foolish, often in a cruel or mocking way
v
(past tense and past participle of 'ridicule') to have subjected someone or something to mockery or derision
Morpheme Breakdown
ridicul
ed
ridicul
laugh
ed
past tense suffix
Etymology
the word 'ridiculed' traces its core to the latin verb ridere, meaning "to laugh." this root passed into french as ridicule, denoting something laughable or absurd. the english verb 'ridicule' was formed in the 17th century, directly adopting the french form to mean the act of mocking or making fun of. the addition of the common germanic past-tense suffix -ed creates the specific form 'ridiculed,' which literally means "to have been made an object of laughter," connecting the ancient act of laughing to the modern concept of scornful mockery.
Analysis
Structure: ridicul (laugh) + ed (past tense suffix)
ridicul originates from latin ridiculum, meaning "a joke, laughing matter," from ridere (to laugh). the suffix -ed is from old english, used to form the past tense and past participle of regular verbs.
Examples
he was ridiculed by his classmates for his unusual accent.
the proposal was ridiculed in the press as being completely unrealistic.
she felt deeply hurt after being publicly ridiculed for her mistake.