Condamné

Condamné is a French word used as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it describes someone or something that has been judged guilty or declared unfit or forbidden by an authority. As a noun, it refers to a person who has been found guilty by a court, or more rarely to something that has been officially condemned. The term derives from the verb condamner (to condemn), which in turn comes from Latin damnare, via Old French con- and damner/condamner.

Grammatically, the forms agree with the noun they modify or refer to. The masculine singular is condamné, the feminine singular is condamnée. Plural forms are condamnés (masc.) and condamnées (fem.). The word also appears as the past participle of condenner in compound tenses and can function as an adjective in phrases such as “un homme condamné” or “une affaire condamnée.”

In legal usage, condamné denotes a person who has been convicted by a court. Common expressions include être condamné à followed by a penalty, for example, être condamné à deux ans de prison. The related noun is condamnation. The phrase condamné à mort is historical in France, where the death penalty has been abolished, but may still appear in historical or literary contexts or in jurisdictions where capital punishment is in force.

Other uses include buildings or items declared unsafe or unfit for use, described as “bâtiment condamné.” Figuratively, condenner can evoke moral or social judgment, as in “condamné par la société.” Overall, condamné carries legal, administrative, and sometimes metaphorical senses, while preserving gender and number agreement with its noun.