bête

Etymology

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)

• audio (Canada)

  (file)

Noun

bête f (plural bêtes)

1. beast, animal

Adjective

bête (plural bêtes)

1. Not very bright and lacking in judgement; stupid; inept.
2. Which could have been easily averted; silly.
3. (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 [lit: "less of a beast"]. Even with me.

References

• “bête” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Further reading

• “bête” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Alternative forms

• baête (continental Normandy)
• beet (Sark)

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)

1. (Jersey, Guernsey) beast, animal

Adjective

bête m, f

1. (Jersey) stupid