• Bastard

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /ˈbɑːstÉ™(ɹ)d/, /ˈbæstÉ™d/
    • US IPA: /ˈbæstəɹd/

    Origin

    From Middle English bastard, bastarde, from Late Old English bastard ("bastard"), from Anglo-Norman bastard ("illegitimate child"), from Old Low Frankish *bāst ("marriage") (compare Middle Dutch bast ("lust, heat")) and derogatory suffix -ard, from Proto-Germanic *banstuz ("bond, tie") (compare West Frisian boask, boaste ("marriage")), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- ("to tie, bind"); or equivalent to bast + -ard. Cognate with West Frisian bastert ("bastard"), Dutch bastaard ("bastard"), German Bastard ("bastard"), Icelandic bastarður ("bastard"). Probably originally referred to a child from a polygynous marriage of Germanic custom but not sanctioned by the Church.

    Full definition of bastard

    Noun

    bastard

    (plural bastards)
    1. A person who was born out of wedlock, and hence often considered an illegitimate descendant.
    2. A mongrel. A biological cross between different breeds, groups or varieties.
    3. (vulgar, referring to a man) A contemptible, inconsiderate, overly or arrogantly rude or spiteful person. See asshole, sod.Some bastard stole my car while I was helping an injured person. 1997, South Park television program
    4. "Oh my God, they killed Kenny! "You bastards!"
    5. I'll tell you one thing, you prick bastard, you know what I really hope for, pray for, and wish for?This makes them realize they're human and maybe makes them less likely to be insensitive to the people they have to come in contact with because if they act too much like bastards, sooner or later someone is going to pop them one.Jesus you are a cold bastard, you know that?
    6. (often humorous) A man, a fellow, a male friend.lucky bastard, poor bastardGet over here, you old bastard!
    7. (often preceded by 'poor') A person deserving of pity.Poor bastard, I feel so sorry for him.
    8. (informal) A child who does not know his or her father.
    9. (informal) Something extremely difficult or unpleasant to deal with.Life can be a real bastard.
    10. A variation that is not genuine; something irregular or inferior or of dubious origin, fake or counterfeit.The architecture was a kind of bastard, suggesting Gothic but not being true Gothic.
    11. An intermediate-grade file; also bastard file.
    12. A sweet wine.
      • William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure:We shall have all the world drink brown and white bastard.
    13. A sword that is midway in length between a short-sword and a long sword; also bastard sword.These poor bastards started out life probably in bad or broken homes.
    14. An inferior quality of soft brown sugar, obtained from syrups that have been boiled several times.
    15. A large mould for straining sugar.
    16. A writing paper of a particular size.

    Usage notes

    (one born to unmarried parents) Not always regarded as a (religious) stigma (in canon law prohibitive for clerical office without papal indult): Norman duke William, the Conqueror of England, is referred to in state documents as "William the Bastard"; a Burgundian prince was even officially styled Great Bastard of Burgundy.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    terms derived from bastard

    Adjective

    bastard

    1. of or like a bastard (illegitimate human descendant)
    2. of or like a bastard (bad person)
    3. of or like a mongrel, bastardized creature/cross
    4. of abnormal, irregular or otherwise inferior qualities (size, shape etc.)a bastard musket; a bastard culverin
    5. spurious, lacking authenticity: counterfeit, fake
      • Barrowthat bastard self-love which is so vicious in itself, and productive of so many vices
    6. (UK, vulgar) Very unpleasant.I've got a bastard headache.
    7. (printing) Abbreviated, as the half title in a page preceding the full title page of a book.

    Interjection

    !
    1. (rare, vulgar) Exclamation of strong dismay or strong sense of being upset.
      • 2001, Stephen King, “The Death of Jack Hamilton”, in Everything's Eventual, Simon and Schuster (2007), ISBN 978-1-4165-4985-7, page 90:Jack says, “Oh! Bastard! I’m hit!” That bullet had to have come in the busted back window and how it missed Johnnie to hit Jack I don’t know.
      • 2004, Cecelia Ahern, PS, I Love You (novel), Hyperion, ISBN 978-1-4013-0090-6, page 7:“Yes, I’m hhhhowwwwwwcch!” she yelped as she stubbed her toe against the bedpost. “Shit, shit, fuck, bastard, shit, crap!”
      • 2006, Emily Franklin, Love from London, Penguin, ISBN 978-0-451-21773-8, page 212:“Isn’t she lovely?” Clem asks, hopefully rhetorically. “Oh, bastard. I’ve got to go—that’s my signal. ...”

    Verb

    1. (obsolete) To bastardize.

    Anagrams

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