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mauviette

wimp, weakling

noun moh-VYET Rare
People & Society Values

Usage Note

Mauviette is a mildly pejorative colloquial word for someone perceived as physically or emotionally weak. Originally it named a small lark (la mauviette = the skylark), and the slang sense arose from the bird's frailty. It is informal but not strongly offensive, roughly equivalent to calling someone a 'pushover' or 'wet blanket' in English.

Examples

"Ne fais pas ta mauviette, c'est juste un peu froid !"

Natural Translation

Don't be such a wimp, it's just a little cold!

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