Word of the Day – Cretin

Cretin (noun)

kret-in

A stupid person (used as a general term of abuse).

Originally a medical term used to describe those who were deformed through congenital thyroid deficiencies cretin has quite a sweet etymology; (from Latin Christianus) used to mean ‘human being’, apparently as a reminder that, though deformed, cretins were human and not beasts. .

Example sentences

“Don’t be such a cretin Rupert, you know how to do it.”

“When the world worships talentless cretins it’s time for everyone to stop and just think about their priorities for a moment.”