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Cretin: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ
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cretin

 

[ หˆkrษ›tษชn ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

medical condition

Cretin refers to a person who is severely mentally disabled and has a physical deformity, typically due to a lack of thyroid hormone. Historically, the term has been used to describe people with congenital hypothyroidism, especially when caused by a lack of iodine in the diet.

Synonyms

dullard, fool, idiot, simpleton

Examples of usage

  • The village had a high number of cretins due to iodine deficiency.
  • Medical professionals must be careful not to use the term cretin in a derogatory manner.
  • Cretinism can lead to various physical and mental challenges.
  • He was labeled a cretin because of his learning difficulties.

Translations

Translations of the word "cretin" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น cretino

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฎเฅ‚เคฐเฅเค–

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Kretin

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ cretin

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะบั€ะตั‚ะธะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ kretyn

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚ฏใƒชใƒผใƒใƒณ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท crรฉtin

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ cretino

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท cretin

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ํฌ๋ ˆํ‹ด

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูƒุฑูŠุชูŠู†

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ kreten

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ kreten

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ็™ฝ็—ด

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ cretin

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ kreti

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะบั€ะตั‚ะธะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ™แƒ แƒ”แƒขแƒ˜แƒœแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ cretin

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ cretino

Word origin

The word 'cretin' has its origins in the French dialect word 'crรฉtin', which means 'a Christian' or 'a person of God', deriving from the Latin 'Christianus'. This term was originally used in the Alps in Switzerland, where it described people who suffered from congenital hypothyroidism due to a lack of iodine in the diet. The term evolved into a label for those with severe physical and mental disabilities. Over time, 'cretin' began to take on a more negative connotation as it was used pejoratively to describe any person considered simple-minded or foolish, which has led to its controversial use in modern language. Despite its medical background, the term is now widely recognized as derogatory and offensive.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,419, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.