French Conversation · Level 43
75 words
French word
méchant
Pronunciation
IPA/meʃɑ̃/
Meaning
- adjectivemean
Example
Il est méchant avec moi.
He is mean to me.
More examples
Il a dit quelque chose de méchant.
He said something mean.
Core concept
A sharp, unfriendly edge that makes a person hostile or a situation harsh.
Common phrases
être méchant
be mean
dire quelque chose de méchant
say something mean
un geste méchant
a mean gesture
Similar words
désagréable: Unpleasant to be around because of manner or atmosphere.
froid: Emotionally unexpressive, making a manner or expression seem cold.
malveillant: Showing malicious intent to cause harm through words, actions, or thoughts.
cruel: Inflicting severe suffering through cruel actions or words.
Definition in French
Qui manifeste de la dureté ou de l'hostilité, et qui peut aussi qualifier quelque chose de sévère.
Word origin
Méchant comes from Old French meschant, the present participle of mescheoir, and developed from the idea of something going badly to meanings of harm and severity.
Usage tips
- For a person, méchant often means mean or nasty rather than evil, while un méchant rhume means a severe cold.
Other meanings
- maliciousadjective
- crueladjective
Opposites
- gentilkindadjective
- bienveillantbenevolentadjective
Related words
- méchancetémeannessnoun
- méchammentmeanlyadverb