mesquin

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian meschino or Spanish mezquino, both from Arabic مِسْكِين (miskīn).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɛs.kɛ̃/

• Audio

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Adjective

mesquin (feminine mesquine, masculine plural mesquins, feminine plural mesquines)

1. unimportant
2. small-minded, petty
3. poor, of poor quality
4. stingy, tight-fisted
5. mean

Derived terms

• mesquinerie

Related terms

• miskine

Further reading

• “mesquin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
• “mesquin” in Émile Littré, Dictionnaire de la langue française, 1872–1877.