Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Stupidity; folly.
  • noun A stupid or foolish act or remark.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun silliness, folly, stupidity

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, from bête, beast, fool, foolish, from Old French beste, beast; see beast.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French

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Examples

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Comments

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  • n. a silliness or fooling-about, mistake

    my French students use this word all the time in reference to something they're not meant to have done.

    November 27, 2007

  • JM knows that using the word 'bêtise' in his status update is a bêtise.

    January 19, 2010

  • To put your poor elders at ease

    You must be unheard and yet please.

    So be a good child,

    Be modest and mild;

    Above all commit no bêtise.

    November 15, 2015