bête
1
9.9
A large wild animal that frightens people
- noun
- /beɪt/
:
bestia
- What about Zionism, Hobsbawm's bête noire?
- bête noire
Examples
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What most folks don't realize is that this was long before everyone's favorite bête noire John Yoo and associates served up their ex post facto "justifications."
Blog text (20) -
In the dark forest, a large bête suddenly emerged, frightening everyone who saw it.
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They told stories about a fierce bête that roamed the mountains at night.
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The village lived in fear of the legendary bête that was said to protect its territory.
Antonyms
How Dangerous
Surface Forms
Etymology
Bête comes from the Latin word bestia meaning 'animal' and is the same root as English beast, so it still carries the sense of a large or wild animal.