STULTIFY

transitive verb (-fied; -fying) Etymology: Late Latin stultificare to make foolish, from Latin stultus foolish; akin to Latin stolidus stolid Date: 1737 to allege or prove to be of unsound mind and hence not responsible, to cause to appear or be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical, 3. to impair, invalidate, or make ineffective ; negate , to have a dulling or inhibiting effect on, stultification noun