gégène
English edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
gégène (uncountable)
- (chiefly historical) A form of electroshock torture, especially as used by the French during the Algerian War of 1954-1962, whereby electrodes are run from a field generator to parts of a victim's body.
- 1977, Alistair Horne, A Savage War of Peace, New York: Review Books, published 2006, page 197:
- It was a view that would not necessarily be shared by Algerians subjected to the gégène or having had their bellies pumped full of water during the Battle of Algiers.
- 2007, Darius Rejali, Torture and Democracy, page 162:
- The politicians were helpless. Paras used the gégène no matter how much politicians condemned it.
- 2011, Vincent Crapanzano, The Harkis, page 68:
- Refusing to answer questions about the political affiliations of various villagers, he was subjected to the gégène.
French edit
Etymology edit
Colloquial abbreviation of génératrice.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
gégène f (plural gégènes)
Further reading edit
- “gégène”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.