bêtes noires
Origin:
1835–45; < French: literally, black beast
1835–45; < French: literally, black beast
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To bêtes noires
Collins
World English Dictionary
bête noire (bɛt nwar) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl bêtes noires | |
| a person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreads | |
| [literally: black beast] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Bêtes noires
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
bete noire
"an insufferable person," 1844, from Fr. bête noire "personal aversion," as an adj., "stupid, foolish;" lit. "the black beast."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
bête noire [(bet nwahr)]Something or someone a person views with particular dislike: “The new candidate for governor is the bête noire of all the liberals in the state.” From French, meaning “black beast.”
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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