cretin

noun

a stupid person (used as a general term of abuse).

• dated Medicine a person who is deformed and mentally handicapped because of congenital thyroid deficiency.

DERIVATIVES

cretinism |-ˌizəm| |ˈkritnˈɪzəm| noun

cretinous |-əs| |ˈkritn=əs| adjective

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from French crétin, from Swiss French crestin ‘Christian’(from Latin Christianus), here used to mean [human being,] apparently as a reminder that, though deformed, cretins were human and not beasts.

I found this definition of the word cretin in the dictionary on my computer. I had remembered hearing it used in the Batman The Animated Series. I think it is a fascinating word. Like many contemporary put-down words, i.e. moron, retarded, etc, it finds its original use as a medical term.

If you look at the origin it came from a term meaning human being. As the dictionary states it was likely a reminder that these people were humans, not beasts.

How strange that this word started out with uplifting characteristics and intentions and moved to a term of abuse.