crétin

Signification (Anglais)

Noun

1. cretin (someone affected by cretinism)
2. cretin (moron; idiot etc.)

Adj

cretinous (stupid; idiotic etc.)

Concepts

crétin

imbécile

abruti

idiot

sot

bêta

balourd

andouille

bête

benêt

connard

con

demeuré

fada

couillon

niais

cornichon

bourrique

attardé

tête de nœud

cloche

dadais

débile

gourde

mal cuit

nigaud

ravi

simplet

buse

bébête

lourdaud

sans-dessein

beauf

jobard

concombre

retard

poupe

couille molle

enfoiré

conard

mauvais con

corniaud

démoulé trop tôt

grand dadet

âne

bêtasse

stupide

nibard

bobet

couyon

nulle

couenne

jambes

Prononcé comme (IPA)

/kʁe.tɛ̃/

Étymologie (Anglais)

Probably a doublet of chrétien (“Christian”), from Latin Christianus (from an Alpine French dialect crestin, undergoing some Franco-Provençal-like sound changes). Specifically, likely from a dialect in the Swiss/Alpine francophone region where there was once an endemic level of cretinism. It is also linked, somewhat euphemistically, to one of the older senses of the word, referring to any Christian man, peasant, simple or regular person, and in some cases by extension a "poor/unfortunate fellow" (cf. also benêt, innocent). Compare the senses of other Romance languages such as Romansh carstgaun (“person”), Italian cristiano (“guy”), Neapolitan crestiano, Sicilian cristianu (“person”), Portuguese cristão (“soul, person”), Spanish cristiano (“guy”), Romanian creștin (“person, individual”).