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nounnounadjective

le bâtard

bastard

C'est un terme qui désigne autrefois un enfant né de parents qui ne sont pas mariés ensemble. Aujourd'hui, il est surtout utilisé comme une insulte méchante ou pour parler d'un animal issu d'un mélange de plusieurs races.

Definition & meaning

The word bâtard has several meanings depending on the context:

  1. Illegitimacy: Historically and legally, it refers to a child born to parents who were not married to each other. While used neutrally in historical or genealogical contexts, it can be derogatory.
  2. Biology and Animals: It describes an animal (especially a dog) or a plant that is a crossbreed or a mongrel, rather than being a purebred.
  3. Mixed or Intermediate Quality: It is used to describe something that is of mixed origin, lacks purity, or sits between two distinct categories. For example, écriture bâtarde refers to a style of handwriting that mixes features of different scripts.
  4. Insult: In modern informal French, it is used as a vulgar insult to describe a person who is perceived as mean, despicable, or unfair, similar to the English word "bastard."

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar: The word functions as both a noun and an adjective.

  • As a noun: un bâtard (masculine), une bâtarde (feminine).
  • As an adjective: It follows the gender of the noun it modifies (e.g., un chien bâtard, une race bâtarde).

Word origin: The term comes from the Old French bastard. It is derived from the word bast , which means a "pack-saddle." The suffix -ard was added to create a pejorative term. The literal implication was a "son of a pack-saddle," suggesting a child conceived by travelers or muleteers on a makeshift bed (the pack-saddle) rather than in a formal marriage bed.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

  • illégitime : Used for children born outside of marriage.
  • hybride : Used for biological crossbreeding.
  • croisé : Often used for crossbred animals.
  • métis : Referring to mixed-race or mixed origins.
  • salaud : A vulgar synonym when used as an insult for a person.
  • mélangé : Simply meaning "mixed."

Antonyms:

  • légitime : Legitimate, in the context of birth or status.
  • pur-sang : Thoroughbred or purebred, specifically for animals.
  • pur : Pure, referring to something unmixed or of a single origin.

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Examples

Je ne connais pas ce bâtard.noun

I don't know that bastard.

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