cagot

English

Noun

cagot (plural cagots)

1. Alternative form of Cagot

French

Etymology

From Béarnais Occitan cagot, of uncertain origin.

Many hypotheses have been advanced over time, often postulating some connection with the Visigoths, in accordance with folklore and historical speculation of their mysterious origin. The predominant hypothesis today posits that it is equivalent to Occitan cagar (“to defecate”) +‎ -ot (diminutive suffix) (compare English insults "little shit", shithead, shitter, etc.); this could explain the many local variants, which would've arisen due to taboo deformation.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.ɡo/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: cagots

Noun

cagot m (plural cagots, feminine cagote)

1. (obsolete or historical) Cagot
2. (dated) sanctimonious person, hypocrite, egotist

Descendants

• → English: Cagot

Adjective

cagot (feminine cagote, masculine plural cagots, feminine plural cagotes)

1. (dated) sanctimonious

Derived terms

• cagotement

Further reading

• “cagot”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.