Where does the term cretin originate?
Where does the term cretin originate?
“Cretin” is normally thought to come from the Swiss French dialectical term crestin, usually thought to be the local word for Christian. In standard French, the words are very close: cretin for “cretin,” and chretien for “Christian.” The derivation from “Christian” is not universally accepted.
What does the root word cretin mean?
Christian
Surprisingly, the root of cretin is the Swiss French word crestin, which means “Christian.” It seems that people back then wanted to remind themselves that even though cretins look unusual, they’re still humans who deserve kindness.
Is cretin a derogatory term?
Today “cretin” is usually used as a derogatory slang term for someone perceived as being stupid, foolish or incompetent, equivalent to “moron,” “idiot” or “nitwit” (“I had to get clearance from some cretin in Human Resources to take the day off.”). The origins of “cretin,” however, lie in a true human tragedy.
What’s another word for cretin?
In this page you can discover 38 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for cretin, like: imbecile, fool, idiot, , moron, twit, simpleton, schmuck, jackass, mooncalf and nitwit.
What do people from Crete call themselves?
Crete
| Native name: Κρήτη | |
|---|---|
| Largest settlement | Heraklion (pop. 144,442) |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | Cretan, archaic Cretian |
| Population | 636,504 (2020) |
What does cretinism look like?
The three characteristic features of neurological endemic cretinism in its fully developed form are extremely severe mental deficiency together with squint, deaf mutism, and motor spasticity. They usually have a goiter.
What is an antonym for cretin?
Opposite of an inhumanly cruel or wicked person. angel. paragon.
Who are the Cretans in the Bible?
The people were such a lying, self-indulgent, sexually promiscuous bunch that Crete became proverbial for immorality in the ancient world. To be a “kretizo,” a Cretan, was to be a liar. (So the next time someone’s lying to you, just tell them to stop “cretanizing”).
What is the difference between cretinism and dwarfism?
In several hormonal disorders and hereditary conditions dwarfism is associated with subnormal intelligence. Inadequate production of thyroid hormone during gestation and early infancy results in a condition known as cretinism, which is characterized by growth retardation and severe mental retardation.
Are there still cretins?
Because of its pejorative connotations in popular speech, current usage among health care professionals has abandoned the noun “cretin” referring to a person. The noun cretinism, referring to the condition, still occurs in medical literature and textbooks but its use is waning.
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