teigne

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɛɲ/
• Homophones: teignent, teignes
• Rhymes: -ɛɲ

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin tinea, sense from genus name Tinea for the moth.

Noun

teigne f (plural teignes)

1. a tineid, any of various species of moth, such as the clothes moth
2. (uncountable) ringworm
3. (derogatory) louse, vixen (mean or aggressive person)

   Synonym: peste

   • 1966, Jacques Brel (lyrics and music), “Ces gens-là”:

     Et puis, il y a l’autre des carottes dans les cheveux / Qu’a jamais vu un peigne, qu’est méchant comme une teigne

     And then there's the other one with carrots in his hair / Who's never seen a comb, who's a nasty piece of work

Derived terms

• teigneux

Etymology 2

Inherited from Latin tingam and tingat, subjunctive of tingo.

Verb

teigne

1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive of teindre

Further reading

• Teigne (insecte) at French Wikipedia for individual species
• “teigne”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Norman

Etymology

From Latin tinea.

Noun

teigne f (plural teignes)

1. (Jersey) silverfish