Bête

Bête is a French word with two principal uses. As a noun, it denotes an animal or creature, with the plural form bêtes. As an adjective, bête means stupid or foolish, and it is invariable in form with respect to gender (un homme bête, une bête). In everyday speech the word is common in phrases such as “c’est bête” (that’s stupid) or “quelle bête” (what a fool).

Etymology and forms: bête derives from Latin bestia, through Old French beste or bête. The circumflex over the e reflects a historical loss of an s. The feminine form is bête, and the plural is bêtes. The term can function in varied contexts from zoological to idiomatic.

Common usages and phrases:des bêtes simply means animals; bête noire designates a particular pet peeve or a disliked thing. Bête de somme refers to a draft animal or pack animal. Bête à bon Dieu is a traditional name for the ladybug. The phrase La Bête du Gévaudan refers to a legendary man-eating creature in 18th‑century France. In literature and cinema, La Bête or “the Beast” is frequently used as a title or character name, including translations of Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête).

Cultural notes: outside of zoological sense, bête serves as a common insult or mild reproach in French, and appears in many idioms and titles. The word also appears in religious or folktale contexts as “the Beast,” especially in translations and adaptations of fairy tales and Biblical or mythical creatures.

See also: Beast, La Bête, bête noire, bête de somme.