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brebis galeuse

black sheep

Definition & meaning

The term brebis galeuse has two primary meanings:

  1. Literal meaning: In a veterinary or agricultural context, it refers to a ewe (a female sheep) that is suffering from mange or scabies (la gale). In farming, such an animal is dangerous to the rest of the flock because the disease is highly contagious.
  2. Figurative meaning: This is the most common usage in everyday French. It describes a person who is considered undesirable, harmful, or a "bad egg" within a group (such as a family, a company, or a social circle). It is the French equivalent of the English idiom "black sheep." It implies that the individual’s behavior or character brings shame to the group or threatens to corrupt others.

Grammar & Word origin

The expression is composed of two parts:

  • Brebis: A feminine noun meaning ewe (female sheep). Unlike the word mouton, which is masculine and general, brebis is specifically feminine.
  • Galeuse: The feminine form of the adjective galeux, derived from the noun gale (scabies/mange). It describes something or someone infected with this skin disease.

The origin of the metaphor dates back to ancient pastoral life. Before modern medicine, a single mangy sheep could decimate a farmer's entire livelihood by infecting the whole flock. Consequently, the "brebis galeuse" had to be quickly identified and isolated or expelled. Over time, the phrase moved from the fields into literature and common language to describe social outcasts.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • mouton noir[?](vocabuo://word/mouton noir) (black sheep)
  • pestiféré (pariah/outcast)
  • exclu (excluded person)
  • individu louche[?](vocabuo://word/individu louche) (shady individual)
  • mauvais sujet[?](vocabuo://word/mauvais sujet) (bad seed/troublemaker)

Antonyms

  • modèle (model/role model)
  • exemple (example)
  • fierté (pride/source of pride)
  • élément moteur[?](vocabuo://word/élément moteur) (driving force/valuable member)

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Examples

On a identifié plusieurs brebis galeuses dans l'entreprise.other

Several black sheep have been identified in the company.

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