bejan

English

Alternative forms

• bajan

Etymology

From French béjaune (“freshman”), from bec jaune (“yellow beak”), in allusion to young birds.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbiːdʒən/

Noun

bejan (plural bejans)

1. (now historical) A freshman at various Scottish and continental universities.
   • 1982, TC Boyle, Water Music, Penguin, published 2006, page 215:

     They'd been at it, say and night, for four years – only to be shown up by a snivelling little wimp of a bejan.