cretin

noun

cre·tin ˈkrē-tᵊn

Synonyms of cretin next

often offensive : one afflicted with cretinism

informal : a stupid, vulgar, or insensitive person : clod, lout

… they started doing stupid boy stuff, like trying to untie our straps and pour sand down our bathing suits. Really, guys were such cretins sometimes.—

Marilyn Reynolds

cretinous

ˈkrē-tᵊn-əs

adjective

Did you know?

Chronic iodine deficiencies in diet can result in malfunctions of the thyroid gland, the gland that produces hormones necessary for normal human development. Some mountainous regions, such as parts of the Alps, do not naturally provide their inhabitants with a diet rich enough in iodine, and the resultant hypothyroidism causes stunted growth and mental retardation. In Franco-Provençal (the Romance speech of French Switzerland and adjacent areas of France), a person affected by hypothyroidism was called a cretin, literally, “wretch, innocent victim,” The word meant simply “Christian” and emphasized the hypothyroid victim's basic humanity.

Example Sentences

the captain finally had to deal with the cretin in the back of the plane in discussions anyone who disagrees with her is inevitably called a cretin

Recent Examples on the Web In Abercrombie’s fiction, the shining hero on horseback may be the most wretched cretin of them all, while the dandy of a prince, despised by his own people, is the one person with real courage and decency. —

Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2021 But the good things Huff did 10 years ago don’t give him a lifetime pass to be a cretin. —

Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2020 There are the buck-passers, cretins who are content to simply stand up, find another table, and pass their misfortune on to some other unsuspecting soul. —

Amiel Stanek, Bon Appétit, 26 Aug. 2019 Law's take on the royal cretin Vortigern ranges from very evil to very, very evil. —

John Serba | Jserba@mlive.com, NOLA.com, 12 May 2017 The problem, of course, is a small minority of cretins who are destructive just for the sake of being destructive, without any regard for the environment or any consideration for others who deserve to see our natural areas without blemish. —

Steve Lipsher, The Denver Post, 22 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cretin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.