chenapan

French

FWOTD – 28 February 2013

Etymology

Borrowed from German Schnapphahn.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʃ(ə).na.pɑ̃/
  • (file)

Noun

chenapan m (plural chenapans, feminine chenapane)

  1. scamp, rascal, rogue, scoundrel
    • 1921, Louis Pergaud, Le Sermon difficile, dans Les Rustiques, nouvelles villageoises:
      Pourtant la chose en soi était grave ; ce n’est pas tout que de dire : vos filles sont des dévergondées et vos garçons des chenapans ; mais... il n’y aurait pas que des vieillards et des adultes à l’église, il y aurait aussi des enfants.
      Yet the matter in itself was serious: it would not be enough to say, "Your daughters are hussies and your sons are rascals", but... there would not only be adults and old people in the church; there would also be children.
  2. a naughty child, scamp, little rascal

Descendants

  • Romanian: șnapan

Further reading

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