bastard
UK: ˈbɑːstəd | US: ˈbæstərd
n. 1. A person born to parents not married to each other (archaic or offensive).
n. 2. A contemptible or unpleasant person (vulgar slang).
adj. 1. Not genuine; spurious or inferior (e.g., "a bastard sword").
bastard = bast<illegitimate> + ard<noun suffix, often pejorative>
- bast: From Old French bast, meaning "packsaddle" (used metaphorically for "illegitimate," as children of travelers or temporary unions were sometimes called "children of the packsaddle").
- ard: A suffix of Germanic origin (e.g., drunkard, coward), often implying a negative or excessive quality.
Etymology Origin:
The word bastard traces back to medieval Latin bastardus, likely derived from Old French bast, referencing the packsaddle of a mule—a metaphor for hybridity or illegitimacy. The suffix -ard reinforced its pejorative tone, evolving from a legal term for illegitimate birth to a general insult by the 14th century.
In medieval times, a bastard child had no claim to the family title.
He called his opponent a "lying bastard" during the argument.
The knife was a bastard imitation of the original design.
Shakespeare’s King Lear features Edmund, the cunning bastard son.
(Historical) "Bastard feudalism" referred to corrupt practices in medieval landholding.