French word

frondeur

Pronunciation

IPA/fʁɔ̃dœʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounrebel

Example

C'est un frondeur.

He's a rebel.

Illustration for frondeur (rebel)

More examples

Le frondeur de la classe pose souvent des problèmes.

The class rebel often causes problems.

Core concept

A member inside a group who stands apart from its leaders and openly challenges their decisions.

Common phrases

  • un frondeur

    a rebel

  • être un frondeur

    be a rebel

  • le frondeur de la classe

    the class rebel

Similar words

insoumis: A person who refuses to obey authority or orders and acts independently.
dissident: A person who publicly voices opposition to an organization's or regime's policy.
rebelle: A person who defies power or rules and insists on doing things their own way.

Definition in French

Personne qui, depuis l'intérieur d'un groupe ou d'une institution, s'oppose aux dirigeants et cherche à les critiquer.

Word origin

Frondeur derives from fronde, "sling", with -eur forming an agent noun; it gained its political sense during the seventeenth-century Fronde.

Usage tips

  • In political reporting, frondeur often suggests dissent from within a party or government rather than opposition from outside.

Other meanings

  • dissidentnoun
  • opponentnoun
  • criticnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • fronderrebelverb
  • frondeusefemale rebelnoun

Word lists with this word