bien pensant

English

Alternative forms

• bien-pensant

Etymology

Borrowing from French bien pensant.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bjɛ̃ pɑ̃sɑ̃/

Adjective

bien pensant (comparative more bien pensant, superlative most bien pensant)

1. Right-thinking, orthodox, conformist; conservative.
   • 2010, Bagehot, The Economist, 23 Aug 2010:

     He hopes Mr Abbott wins the election in part because it would, he says, annoy bien-pensant British journalists and Leftists who oppose the Australian's positions on things like abortion, gay marriage or climate change.

Noun

bien pensant (plural bien pensants)

1. A person who is bien pensant.
2. Someone who accepts and or espouses a fashionable idea after it has been established and maintains it without a great amount of critical thought.

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bjɛ̃ pɑ̃sɑ̃/

Adjective

bien pensant m (feminine bien pensante, masculine plural bien pensants, feminine plural bien pensantes)

1. bien pensant
2. (literally) 'good thinking'

Noun

bien pensant m (plural bien pensants)

1. bien pensant