bête
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French
Alternative forms
- b*t* (censored)
Etymology
Inherited from Middle French beste, from Old French beste, probably partially borrowed from Classical Latin bēstia (“beast”), or less likely from an alternative Vulgar Latin bēsta (“animal”). Compare biche (probably from Old French bisse, itself from Vulgar Latin bīstia; compare Italian biscia).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bɛt/
audio (France) (file) - Homophones: bêtes, bette, bettes
- IPA(key): /bɛːt/ (older, now chiefly Belgium and Canada)
Noun
bête f (plural bêtes)
- beast, animal
- Synonym: animal
- (derogatory) fool
- Je pense qu’il est une bête !
- I think that he is a fool!
Derived terms
- abêtir
- âge bête
- bébête
- bêta
- bétail
- bête à Bon Dieu
- bête à manger du foin
- bête comme chou
- bête comme ses deux pieds
- bête comme ses pieds
- bête de foire
- bête de scène
- bête de sexe
- bête de somme
- bête noire
- bête-puante
- bêtement
- bêtifier
- bêtise
- chercher la petite bête
- contracibête
- ébêtir
- embêter
- morte la bête, mort le venin
- pense-bête
- rabêtir
- reprendre du poil de la bête
Descendants
Adjective
bête (plural bêtes)
- (offensive) Not very bright and lacking in judgement; stupid; inept
- Synonym: idiot
- Which could have been easily averted; silly
- (Canada, informal) Having a bad character or in a bad mood; showing great displeasure in interacting with people; ill-tempered
- 1999, Chrystine Brouillet, Les Fiancées de l'Enfer, →ISBN, page 69:
- Je dis ça, mais depuis quelques semaines elle est moins bête. Même avec moi
- I say that, but these last few weeks she hasn't been as nasty . Even with me.
Quotations
Related terms
References
- “bête”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.
Further reading
- “bête”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.
Norman
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old French beste, from Latin bēstia.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /beit/, /bøit/
- (Saint Ouen) IPA(key): /bɛːt/
- (Sark) IPA(key): /bwɛːt/
Audio (Jersey) (file)
Noun
bête f (plural bêtes)
Adjective
bête m or f