cretin
[ kreet-n or, esp. British, kret-n ]
/ ˈkrit n or, esp. British, ˈkrɛt n /
noun
a person suffering from cretinism.
a stupid, obtuse, or mentally defective person.
Nearby words
cretaceously, cretan, cretan bull, crete, cretic, cretin, cretinism, cretinize, cretinous, cretonne, cretons
Origin of cretin
1770–80; < French; Franco-Provençal creitin, crestin human being, literally, Christian (hence one who is human despite deformities)
Related formscre·ti·noid, adjectivecre·tin·ous, adjectivesem·i·cre·tin, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for cretin
British Dictionary definitions for cretin
cretin
/ (ˈkrɛtɪn) /
noun
old-fashioned a person afflicted with cretinism
offensive a person considered to be extremely stupid
Derived Formscretinoid, adjectivecretinous, adjective
Word Origin for cretin
C18: from French crétin, from Swiss French crestin, from Latin Chrīstiānus Christian, alluding to the humanity of such people, despite their handicaps
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for cretin
cretin
1779, from French crétin (18c.), from Alpine dialect crestin, "a dwarfed and deformed idiot" of a type formerly found in families in the Alpine lands, a condition caused by a congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones, from Vulgar Latin *christianus "a Christian," a generic term for "anyone," but often with a sense of "poor fellow." Related: Cretinism (1801).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for cretin
cretin
[ krēt′n ]
n.
A person afflicted with cretinism.
Related formscre′tin•oid′ (-oid′) adj.cre′tin•ous (-əs) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.