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cretin

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cre⋅tin

  [kreet-n or, especially Brit., kret-n]
Use cretin in a Sentence
–noun
1. a person suffering from cretinism.
2. a stupid, obtuse, or mentally defective person.
Origin:
1770–80; < F; Franco-Provençal creitin, crestin human being, lit., Christian (hence one who is human despite deformities)

Related forms:
cre⋅ti⋅noid, adjective
cre⋅tin⋅ous, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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cre·tin   (krēt'n)   
n.  

  1. A person afflicted with cretinism.

  2. Slang An idiot.


[French crétin, from French dialectal, deformed and mentally retarded person found in certain Alpine valleys, from Vulgar Latin *christiānus, Christian, human being, poor fellow, from Latin Chrīstiānus, Christian; see Christian.]
cre'tin·oid' (-oid') adj., cre'tin·ous (-əs) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

cretin 
1779, from Fr. Alpine dialect crestin, "a dwarfed and deformed idiot," from V.L. *christianus "a Christian," a generic term for "anyone," but often with a sense of "poor fellow."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: cre·tin
Pronunciation: 'krEt-&n
Function: noun
: one affected with cretinism —cre·tin·ous /-&n-&s/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

cretin cre·tin (krēt'n)
n.
A person afflicted with cretinism.

cre'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.
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