pleurnicher

to whine, to snivel

verb plur-nee-SHEH Rare

Usage Note

Pleurnicher conveys a mildly contemptuous tone, implying excessive or unwarranted crying. The agent noun pleurnicheur (m) / pleurnicheuse (f) describes a habitual whiner. It is distinct from pleurer (to cry sincerely) — pleurnicher implies the crying is petty or manipulative.

Examples

"Arrête de pleurnicher et dis-moi ce qui s'est passé."

Natural Translation

Stop whining and tell me what happened.

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