French word

geindre

Pronunciation

IPA/ʒɛ̃dʁ/

Meaning

  • verbwhine

Example

Arrête de geindre et agis.

Stop whining and take action.

Illustration for geindre (whine)

More examples

Quand il est fatigué, il a tendance à geindre.

When he is tired, he tends to whine.

Core concept

A person repeatedly letting out a weak, moaning complaint instead of taking action.

Common phrases

  • arrêter de geindre

    stop whining

  • avoir tendance à geindre

    tend to whine

Similar words

se plaindre: To complain about personal troubles while seeking help or sympathy.
râler: To grumble aloud about dissatisfaction or annoyances.

Definition in French

Exprimer une plainte ou un mécontentement d'une voix faible ou en gémissant, sans prendre de mesure pour changer la situation.

Word origin

Geindre comes from Latin gemere, 'to groan,' through Old French, and retains the older sense of expressing distress by moaning.

Usage tips

  • Geindre often carries a mildly reproachful sense of whining, while se plaindre is the broader and more neutral verb for complaining.

Other meanings

  • groanverb

Opposites

  • se réjouirrejoiceverb
  • se contenterbe satisfiedverb

Word lists with this word