French word

crapule

Pronunciation

IPA/kʁapyl/

Meaning

  • feminine nounscoundrel

Example

Ne fais pas confiance à cette crapule.

Don't trust that scoundrel.

Illustration for crapule (scoundrel)

More examples

Il a toujours été considéré comme une crapule par les voisins.

He has always been considered a scoundrel by the neighbors.

Core concept

A contemptible wrongdoer whose lack of conscience makes trust unsafe.

Common phrases

  • une vraie crapule

    a real scoundrel

  • une crapule sans scrupules

    an unscrupulous scoundrel

  • une jeune crapule

    a young scoundrel

Similar words

voyou: A rough, violent person who often behaves aggressively.
escroc: A fraudster who deceives people to take their money or goods.
voleur: A person who steals other people's belongings.
criminel: A person who has committed a serious crime.

Definition in French

Désigne une personne sans scrupules qui commet des actes méprisables, proche de « voleur » ou « gouape » dans son registre insultant.

Word origin

The French noun developed from Latin crapula, a term for drunken excess, with its sense shifting toward debauchery and then a morally reprehensible person.

Usage tips

  • Crapule is grammatically feminine even when it refers to a man, as in une crapule and cette crapule.

Opposites

  • hérosheronoun
  • personne honnêtehonest personnoun

Word lists with this word