French Conversation · Level 109
60 words
French word
mendiant
Pronunciation
IPA/mɑ̃djɑ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nounbeggar
Example
Elle donne de l'argent au mendiant.
She gives money to the beggar.
More examples
Les passants ignorent souvent le mendiant assis près de la gare.
Passersby often ignore the seated beggar near the station.
Core concept
A person standing in a public place with an open hand, visibly asking passers-by for money, food, or help.
Common phrases
avoir pitié du mendiant
pity the beggar
donner de la monnaie à un mendiant
give change to a beggar
un mendiant assis
a seated beggar
Similar words
sans-abri: A homeless person.
SDF: A person who has no fixed residence.
Definition in French
Personne qui, dans l'espace public, sollicite ouvertement de l'argent, de la nourriture ou une aide.
Word origin
Mendiant derives from the French verb mendier and ultimately from Latin mendicare, related to mendicus, meaning beggar.
Usage tips
- Mendiant is masculine; the feminine form is mendiante, as in une mendiante.
Opposites
- donateurdonornoun
Related words
- mendierbegverb
- mendicitébeggingnoun
- mendicantmendicantadjective