bastard
Part of speech: noun
adj
Morphological type: simple
Topics: government
media
politics
printing
publishing
Etymology: From Middle English bastard, bastarde, from Old English bastard (used as an epithet), from Anglo-Norman bastard, Old French bastart (“illegitimate child”), perhaps via Medieval Latin bastardus, of obscure origin.
Likely from Frankish *bāst (“marriage, relationship”) + Old French -ard, -art (pejorative suffix denoting a specific quality or condition). Frankish *bāst derives from a North Sea Germanic variety of Proto-Germanic *banstuz (“bond, connection, relationship, marriage with a second woman of lower status”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to tie, bind”) and is related to West Frisian boaste (“marriage, matrimony”), Middle Dutch bast (“lust, heat”), and more distantly to English boose (“cow-stall”). The term probably originally referred to a child from a polygynous marriage of heathen Germanic custom — a practice not sanctioned by the Christian churches.
Alternatively, and probably less likely, Old French bastart may have originated from the Old French term fils de bast (“packsaddle son”), meaning a child conceived on an improvised bed (medieval saddles often doubled as beds while travelling). However chronology makes this difficult, as bastard is attested in Old French from 1089 (Middle Latin bastardus as early as 1010), yet Old French bast (modern French bât), though attested since 1130 with the meaning of "beast of burden", doesn't acquire the specific meaning of "packsaddle" until the 13c., making it too late to have given rise to the terms bastard and bastardus with this sense. The French Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales supports the Germanic theory further above as being most likely.
Inflected forms:
form: bastards
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: bastid
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: more bastard
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: most bastard
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: bastid
pos: adj
tags: alternative
Senses:
gloss: A person who was born out of wedlock, and hence often considered an illegitimate descendant.
pos: noun
tags: countable
dated
uncountable
examples: Jarrod: Who are you?
Heath: Your father’s bastard son.
gloss: A mongrel (biological cross between different breeds, groups or varieties).
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: A contemptible, inconsiderate, overly or arrogantly rude or spiteful person.
pos: noun
tags: countable
derogatory
offensive
uncountable
usually
vulgar
examples: Some bastard stole my car while I was helping an injured person.
You sick bastard!
Don't be such a bastard already!
I assume that bastard won't be seen again.
“Oh my God, they killed Kenny!” “You bastards!”
gloss: A man, a fellow, a male friend.
pos: noun
tags: countable
endearing
humorous
uncountable
examples: lucky bastard
funny bastard
Get over here, you old bastard!
gloss: A suffering person deemed deserving of compassion.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: Poor bastard, I feel so sorry for him.
These poor bastards started out life probably in bad or broken homes.
gloss: A child who does not know their father.
pos: noun
tags: countable
informal
uncountable
gloss: Something extremely difficult or unpleasant to deal with.
pos: noun
tags: countable
informal
uncountable
examples: Life can be a real bastard.
gloss: A variation that is not genuine; something irregular or inferior or of dubious origin, fake or counterfeit.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: The architecture was a kind of bastard, suggesting Gothic but not being true Gothic.
There were also made good and politic laws that parliament, against usury, which is the bastard use of money...
gloss: A bastard file.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: A kind of sweet wine.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: […] we ſhall haue all the world drinke browne & white baſtard.
gloss: A sword that is midway in length between a short-sword and a long sword; also bastard sword.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: An inferior quality of soft brown sugar, obtained from syrups that have been boiled several times.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: A large mould for straining sugar.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: A writing paper of a particular size.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: A Eurosceptic Conservative MP, especially in the government of John Major.
pos: noun
tags: UK
countable
derogatory
uncountable
examples: If you are a politician, you make sure that you know all such references in case an interviewer suddenly asks, 'Are you one of the bastards in Mr Major's cabinet?'
While John Major managed to get the Maastricht Treaty through parliament, despite the efforts of the “bastards” in his cabinet, the 2001 Conservative General Election campaign was fought on entirely eurosceptic lines.
In the UK, Conservative Maastricht rebels (the 'bastards') almost brought down Conservative Prime Minister John Major's government.
One “bastard,” the Minister for Wales, John Redwood (who mounted an unsuccessful campaign to displace the Tory chief, John Major), was removed in a Cabinet reshuffle; but was his young successor William Hague any more reliable?
But there is no doubt that the “bastards,” who had tormented so many Tory leaders over the years, had won. The longed-for break with “Europe” had finally come, but at the same price that Americans paid for Trump's takeover of the Republican Party.
gloss: Of or like a bastard (illegitimate human descendant).
pos: adj
gloss: Of or like a bastard (bad person).
pos: adj
gloss: Of or like a mongrel, bastardized creature/cross.
pos: adj
gloss: Of abnormal, irregular or otherwise inferior qualities (size, shape etc).
pos: adj
examples: a bastard musket
a bastard culverin
gloss: Of abnormal, irregular or otherwise inferior qualities (size, shape etc).
pos: adj
examples: that bastard self-love which is so vicious in itself, and productive of so many vices
gloss: Of abnormal, irregular or otherwise inferior qualities (size, shape etc).
pos: adj
examples: Of what race could these people be? Their language was a bastard Arabic, and yet they were not Arabs; I was quite sure of that.
gloss: Used in the vernacular name of a species to indicate that it is similar in some way to another species, often (but not always) one of another genus.
pos: adj
examples: bastard gemsbok; bastard mahogany; bastard toadflax; bastard trumpeter
gloss: Very unpleasant.
pos: adj
tags: Ireland
UK
vulgar
examples: I’ve got a bastard headache.
gloss: Abbreviated, as the half title in a page preceding the full title page of a book.
pos: adj
gloss: Consisting of one predominant color blended with small amounts of complementary color; used to replicate natural light because of their warmer appearance.
pos: adj
examples: A bastard orange gel produces predominantly orange light with undertones of blue.
Synonyms: bantling
bastard
bastardling
bastid
batchelor's son
by-blow
degenerate
fruit of adultery
haramzada
illegitimate
love child
mamzer
misbegotten
natural child
nullius filius
outside child
slink
whoreson
Antonyms: legitimate
Related words: adulterine
bar sinister
baton sinister
bend sinister
born in the vestry
git
jerk
Derived words: /b/tard
abastard
bastage
bastard fox
bastardhood
bastardisation
bastardization
bastardise
bastardize
bastardish
bastardism
bastarditis
bastardless
bastardlike
bastardling
bastardly
bastardness
bastardo
bastardous
bastardship
bastardy
bastardry
bastich
bastard agrimony
bastard alkanet
bastard ashlar
bastard bar
bastard big-footed mouse
bastard cabbage
bastard cabbage tree
bastard camphor tree
bastard cedar
bastard coolibah
bastard craps
bastard-dom
bastard dory
bastard eel
bastard eigne
bastard file
bastard gemsbok
bastard grass
bastard gumwood
bastard halibut
bastard hartebeest
bastard hemp
bastard hogberry
bastard horn snake
bastard indigo
bastard ironwood
bastard jarrah
bastard mahogany
bastard manchineel
bastard mulga
bastard myall
bastard myrobalan
bastard oak
bastard operator from hell
bastard pellitory
bastard pennyroyal
bastard pimpernel
bastard pop
bastard quiver tree
bastard rattlesnake
bastard rocket
bastard saffron
bastard sage
bastard sandalwood
bastard senna
bastard sole
bastard speedwell
bastard strangles
bastard sturgeon
bastard sugar
bastard sword
bastard tallow-wood
bastard tamarind
bastard teak
bastard title
bastard toadflax
bastard trumpeter
bastard turtle
bastard type
bastard umbrella thorn
bastard verdict
bastard viol
bastard white oak
bastard wing
bastard yellowwood
brown bastard
rat bastard
rat-bastard
Rhineland bastard
Translations:
lang: Bulgarian
word: ме́лез
roman: mélez
lang: Catalan
word: bastard
lang: Catalan
word: bord
lang: Chinese
word: 杂种
roman: zázhǒng
lang: Dutch
word: mormel
lang: Dutch
word: straathond
lang: Estonian
word: ristsugutis
lang: Finnish
word: sekasikiö
lang: Finnish
word: ristisiitos
lang: French
word: bâtard
lang: French
word: croisé
lang: Galician
word: mestizo
lang: Galician
word: bastardo
lang: Greek
word: μιξογενής
roman: mixogenís
lang: Greek
word: μπάσταρδος
roman: bástardos
lang: Hungarian
word: korcs
lang: Hungarian
word: keverék
lang: Indonesian
word: bastar
lang: Indonesian
word: blasteran
lang: Macedonian
word: мелез
roman: melez
lang: Macedonian
word: лангач
roman: langač
lang: Norman
word: bâtard
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: bastard
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: kjøter
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: bastard
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: kjøter
lang: Polish
word: mieszaniec
lang: Polish
word: bastard
lang: Polish
word: krzyżówka
lang: Portuguese
word: mestiço
lang: Romanian
word: hibrid
lang: Romanian
word: corcitură
lang: Russian
word: мети́с
roman: metís
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: меша́нац
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: мјеша́нац
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: mešánac
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: mješánac
lang: Turkish
word: melez
lang: Turkish
word: piç
lang: Bulgarian
word: ко́пеле
roman: kópele
lang: Catalan
word: fill de puta
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 王八蛋
roman: wángbadàn
lang: Danish
word: røvhul
lang: Danish
word: skiderik
lang: Dutch
word: bastaard
lang: Dutch
word: hoerenjong
lang: Dutch
word: klootzak
lang: Dutch
word: rotzak
lang: Dutch
word: hufter
lang: Esperanto
word: ulaĉo
lang: Estonian
word: tõbras
lang: Estonian
word: jobu
lang: Estonian
word: värdjas
lang: Finnish
word: paskiainen
lang: Finnish
word: kusipää
lang: Finnish
word: mulkku
lang: Finnish
word: roisto
lang: French
word: fils de pute
lang: French
word: salopard
lang: French
word: salaud
lang: French
word: enfoiré
lang: German
word: Bastard
lang: German
word: Mistkerl
lang: German
word: Arsch
lang: German
word: Hurensohn
lang: Greek
word: μπάσταρδος
roman: bástardos
lang: Greek
word: καθίκι
roman: kathíki
lang: Ancient Greek
word: μαστιγίας
roman: mastigías
lang: Hungarian
word: szemétláda
lang: Hungarian
word: szemét (alak)
lang: Hungarian
word: mocsok
lang: Hungarian
word: rohadék
lang: Hungarian
word: seggfej
lang: Hungarian
word: faszfej
lang: Indonesian
word: bangsat
lang: Indonesian
word: keparat
lang: Indonesian
word: hina dina
lang: Italian
word: bastardo
lang: Italian
word: figlio di puttana
lang: Japanese
word: 野郎
roman: yarō
lang: Japanese
word: やつ
roman: yatsu
lang: Japanese
word: あいつ
roman: aitsu
lang: Javanese
word: bajingan
lang: Khmer
word: អត់ពូជ
roman: ʼɑt puuc
lang: Korean
word: 새끼
roman: saekki
lang: Korean
word: 녀석
roman: nyeoseok
lang: Korean
word: 개자식
roman: gaejasik
lang: Latin
word: irrumātor
lang: Macedonian
word: копиле
roman: kopile
lang: Macedonian
word: кучкин син
roman: kučkin sin
lang: Macedonian
word: бита́нга
roman: bitánga
lang: Malay
word: bangsat
lang: Malay
word: pukimak
lang: Malay
word: anjing
lang: Malay
word: babi
lang: Māori
word: pokokōhua
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: drittsekk
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: dritsekk
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: skitsekk
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: skittsekk
lang: Polish
word: sukinsyn
lang: Polish
word: skurwiel
lang: Polish
word: skurwysyn
lang: Polish
word: sukinkot
lang: Polish
word: skurczybyk
lang: Polish
word: psubrat
lang: Polish
word: gadzina
lang: Polish
word: gad
lang: Polish
word: gnida
lang: Polish
word: świnia
lang: Polish
word: cham
lang: Polish
word: menda
lang: Polish
word: łachudra
lang: Polish
word: szuja
lang: Polish
word: śmieć
lang: Polish
word: drań
lang: Polish
word: zgniłek
lang: Polish
word: bydlę
lang: Polish
word: bydlak
lang: Polish
word: nędznik
lang: Polish
word: szmaciarz
lang: Polish
word: szmata
lang: Polish
word: wypierdek
lang: Polish
word: padalec
lang: Polish
word: podlec
lang: Polish
word: skurkowaniec
lang: Portuguese
word: filho da mãe
lang: Portuguese
word: sacana
lang: Portuguese
word: filho da puta
lang: Portuguese
word: desgraçado
lang: Romanian
word: handicapat
lang: Romanian
word: bastard
lang: Romanian
word: haimana
lang: Romanian
word: haimanale
lang: Russian
word: ублю́док
roman: ubljúdok
lang: Russian
word: су́ка
roman: súka
lang: Russian
word: гад
roman: gad
lang: Russian
word: су́кин сын
roman: súkin syn
lang: Russian
word: сво́лочь
roman: svóločʹ
lang: Russian
word: вы́родок
roman: výrodok
lang: Russian
word: мерза́вец
roman: merzávec
lang: Russian
word: подо́нок
roman: podónok
lang: Russian
word: негодя́й
roman: negodjáj
lang: Russian
word: гнида
roman: gnida
lang: Russian
word: урод
roman: urod
lang: Sanskrit
word: प्रसृतजः
roman: prasṛtajaḥ
lang: Sanskrit
word: बन्धुल
roman: bandhula
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: бѝта̄нга
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: га̏д
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: га̀дура
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: гњи̏да
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: про̀бисвије̄т
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: bìtānga
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: gȁd
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: gàdura
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: gnjȉda
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: pròbisvijēt
lang: Spanish
word: desgraciado
lang: Spanish
word: hijo de puta
lang: Spanish
word: cabrón
lang: Spanish
word: tipejo
lang: Swedish
word: skitstövel
lang: Turkish
word: piç
lang: Ukrainian
word: ублю́док
roman: ubljúdok
lang: Vietnamese
word: chó chết
lang: Yiddish
word: סוואָלאָטש
roman: svolotsh
lang: Dutch
word: ondermaats
lang: Dutch
word: nep
lang: Finnish
word: kummajais-
lang: French
word: simili
lang: Greek
word: νόθος
roman: nóthos
lang: Hungarian
word: szabálytalan (alakú/méretű/…)
lang: Macedonian
word: шкарт
roman: škart