ordure
What does ordure mean? ordure is a French strong that translates to “scum, trash, piece of shit” in English.
Literal Translation
garbage, filth
Meaning & Usage
"scum, trash, piece of shit"
Calling someone literal garbage. It's a dramatic insult that sounds almost literary in French — you can imagine it being spat by a character in a 19th-century novel. Despite its old-fashioned ring, it's still used, especially when someone wants to express contempt with a certain theatrical flair.
Examples in the Wild
'Vous êtes une ordure' — you are filth. Often used with 'vous' rather than 'tu,' which makes it icier. 'Ordure!' as a standalone exclamation.
When to Use It
Context
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Has a formal, almost aristocratic tone compared to 'enculé' or 'connard.' Calling someone 'ordure' feels like putting on a monocle before slapping them. It's the insult of choice in period films and courtroom dramas. In everyday speech, it signals that you're truly, deeply disgusted — not just angry.
More in French 🇫🇷
View all →garce
“bitch / slut”
Female dog; used as insult toward women.
se barrer
“to get out, to bolt, to take off”
Another crude way to say 'to leave,' slightly less aggressive than 'se casser.' 'Barre-toi' is 'get out of here.' 'Je me barre' is 'I'm leaving.' The word implies leaving quickly, sometimes covertly — sneaking out of a boring party or fleeing a bad situation.
con / conne
“stupid / idiot / asshole (fem: bitch)”
Originally vulgar slang for female genitalia (cunt), now primarily means 'stupid' or 'idiot' in France. The feminine 'conne' is more offensive than 'con'.
pute / putain
“whore / hooker”
Prostitute. 'Pute' is noun form, 'putain' is interjection or noun.
nom de Dieu
“for God's sake / goddamn”
Religious exclamation, mild blasphemy.
crade
“gross, filthy, nasty”
Slang contraction of 'crasseux' (filthy) that became its own word. It describes anything disgustingly dirty — a room, a person, a habit. Less intense than 'dégueulasse' but covers the same territory. The extended form 'cradingue' adds emphasis through its playful suffix.
raclure
“scum, lowlife, bottom-feeder”
What you scrape off the bottom of a pot — the residue, the dregs. Applied to a person, it means they're the lowest of the low, the scum of society. It's a creative insult that paints a vivid picture of worthlessness.
merde
“shit / crap”
Standard exclamation for frustration, disappointment, or surprise. Literally excrement.