moinante

Galician

Etymology

Attested since 1807. From moina (devious, tricky) + -ante. Perhaps from Old French moine (monk), because of the many tricksters that during the Middle Ages used to disguise themselves as monks, most notably along the Way of Saint James. Alternatively, from Gascon Occitan amoinà (to beg), from Latin eleemosyna (alms), from Ancient Greek ἐλεημοσύνη (eleēmosúnē).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [mojˈnantɪ]

Noun

moinante m (plural moinantes)

  1. (derogatory) a vagabond, a beggar; an idler
    Synonym: langrán
  2. (derogatory) a rogue, a rascal, a trickster
    Synonyms: truán, tunante, tuno
  3. (derogatory, figurative) someone from whom low morality is presupposed
    Ollo aló, que eses son un fato de moinantes!
    Take care there, these guys are nothing but a group of rascals!
    • 1807, anonymous author, Segundo diálogo dos esterqueiros:
      Valente burro serà:
      a eses na miña terra
      unhs chamanlles Moniteros,
      é outros chaman Moinantes
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

References

  1. Joan Coromines, José A. Pascual (1983–1991) “limosna”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico (in Spanish), Madrid: Gredos
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