calotin

English translation: shaveling

11:13 Apr 6, 2021
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
French term or phrase: calotin
"calotin" is a pejorative term for a clergy member, a reference to the skullcap worn, if I'm not mistaken.
I'm looking for a similar flavored archaic/dated term in English to refer to a man of the cloth, specifically a Roman Catholic bishop.
Kallie Translation (X)
United States
English translation:shaveling
Explanation:
shaveling might do the trick for you. it's an archaic pejorative term that refers to clergymen referring to the way they shaved their heads from roughly the 7th Century to 1972. Both are old disparaging terms for clergymen related to their heads.
Selected response from:

Danielle Dupuis
Canada
Local time: 14:57
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3shaveling
Danielle Dupuis
4Devot, ecclesiastic
AcornTr_US
3Holy Joe
Barbara Cochran, MFA
4 -1Bible-basher
Lucy Teasdale
3papist bishop
Conor McAuley
2 -1charlatan/quack bishop
SafeTex


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Holy Joe


Explanation:
https://en.bab.la/dictionary/french-english/calotin

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Note added at 8 mins (2021-04-06 11:22:30 GMT)
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https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/Holy Joe

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Note added at 14 mins (2021-04-06 11:28:12 GMT)
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"sanctimonious", "accursed priest" are two other, less contemporary options

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Note added at 37 mins (2021-04-06 11:51:18 GMT)
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or "churchy bishop": https://dictionary.reverso.net/french-english/calotin

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Note added at 55 mins (2021-04-06 12:08:33 GMT)
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"holy joe" first came into use around 1874: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Holy Joe

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 16:57
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Bible-basher


Explanation:
This is a nice descriptive term for people who ‘go on’ about religion or try to convert you.


    https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Bible_basher
Lucy Teasdale
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:57
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Yes, but more likely / often applied to non-conformist denominations; less applicable perhaps to an RC Bishops and, I suspect, rather too modern.
17 hrs

disagree  Daryo: not all "bible-bashers" are members of the clergy // some "lay" members are more Catholic than the Pope
20 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): -1
charlatan/quack bishop


Explanation:
Hello

The word you are looking for may quite simply not exist

I did look at "Episcopus vagans" but I don't think it's quite what you want

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopus_vagans#Use_as_cultur...

So I'm suggesting "charlatan" or "quack" and I checked the etymology of both terms, and "quack" seems to go back further to around the time you want i.e 14th century

I've nothing against the other suggestions except that I don't associate "bible-basher" or "Holy Joe" with Catholic bishops in the Middle Ages but more with preachers in the US in the 20th century

Otherwise, you could be inventive and say something like "the bigots with a mitre and crozier"

Or play around with the Latin above and try combinations with "Episcopus" like "Incert" (vague) or "ineffigiatus" (amorphous)

SafeTex
France
Local time: 21:57
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Tony M: Both 'charlatan' and 'quack' suggest in some way 'fake' or 'dishonest', neither of which seems appropriate to the context as explained here.
13 hrs
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
shaveling


Explanation:
shaveling might do the trick for you. it's an archaic pejorative term that refers to clergymen referring to the way they shaved their heads from roughly the 7th Century to 1972. Both are old disparaging terms for clergymen related to their heads.

Danielle Dupuis
Canada
Local time: 14:57
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daryo
2 hrs

agree  Mpoma: Ooh, so nice I have to "agree" ... but according to my ordinary dictionary, "calotin" still has a modern usage, specifically meaning someone who flaunts their piousness... unfortunately "shaveling" isn't modern English (though it should be of course)
8 hrs

agree  Yvonne Gallagher: best of offerings here. More context would be good though
3 days 5 hrs
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1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
papist bishop


Explanation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popery
"According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word Papist was first used in 1522."

taig bishop

dogan bishop


It all depends, of course, whether the insult is intended to be sectarian, whether it is aimed at the bishop personally, or whether it is aimed at the clergy/religiousness in general.


NOTE: Highly offensive terms.

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 21:57
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 30
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3 days 8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Devot, ecclesiastic


Explanation:
Here is a French Wikionary entry I've found for the term:
https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/calotin#Français
I looked up ecclesiastic and devot in Collins Fr>En dictionary and both match your context;links are in the Web References tab.
I did a slightly religious text as part of a French Literature class in college.


    Reference: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/french-englis...
    Reference: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/devot...
AcornTr_US
United States
Local time: 13:57
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
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