métèque

foreigner, immigrant (derogatory)

noun meh-TEK Rare

Origin: Greek metoikos 'resident alien'

Usage Note

Métèque is a pejorative and racist term in modern French for a person of foreign, especially Mediterranean or Middle Eastern, origin. Learners should be aware it is highly offensive. Historically, metoikos in ancient Athens described a resident non-citizen with limited rights. Georges Moustaki reclaimed the word in his 1969 song Le Métèque, turning it into a self-affirming statement of mixed identity.

Examples

"Il a été insulté par le mot 'métèque'."

Natural Translation

He was insulted by the word 'métèque'.

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