Bête
/bɛt/noun
A beast or, figuratively, a foolish or contemptible person; in English it is most familiar from the phrase “bête noire.”
Did you know?The phrase “bête noire,” meaning a person or thing one especially dislikes, entered English from French and literally portrays the hated target as a “black beast.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Latin
Latin
bestia
“A beast or animal; the ultimate origin is uncertain.”
Old French
Old French
beste
“A beast or wild animal.”
Middle English
Middle English
beste
“A beast or animal, later developing into modern “beast.””
17th Century
French
bête
“A beast; also a foolish or unintelligent person.”
19th Century
English
bête noire
“Literally “black beast,” used for a person or thing that one particularly dislikes.”
Modern English
English
bête
“A French loanword used independently or in expressions such as “bête noire.””