French word

quolibet

Pronunciation

IPA/kolibɛ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounjeer

Example

Les quolibets ont cessé quand il est parti.

The jeers stopped when he left.

Illustration for quolibet (jeer)

More examples

Il ne supportait plus les quolibets de ses collègues.

He could no longer stand his colleagues' taunts.

Core concept

A cutting aside tossed at someone or something to make it look ridiculous.

Similar words

moquerie: Mocking behavior or words meant to make someone look foolish.
dérision: A contemptuous way of mocking someone through words or behavior.
sarcasme: A sharp, ironic way of speaking that is meant to wound.
ironie: An expression that uses the opposite of its literal meaning to imply criticism or another effect.

Definition in French

Remarque brève et moqueuse visant à ridiculiser une personne ou une situation.

Word origin

The noun derives from Latin quodlibetum, "whatever one wishes," through a historical shift in French toward a light, mocking remark.

Usage tips

  • Quolibet has a literary or formal tone, while moquerie is more general and common in everyday French.

Opposites

  • louangepraisenoun

Word lists with this word