n. Often Offensive 1. A person with cretinism. 2. A person considered to be foolish or unintelligent. [French crétin, from Franco-Provençal, person with cretinism (formerly common in Alpine valleys because of insufficient iodine in the local diet), from Vulgar Latin *christiānus, Christian, human being, poor fellow, from Latin Chrīstiānus, Christian; see CHRISTIAN.] cretin·oid′ (-oid′) adj. cretin·ous (-əs) adj. |
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