battu

beaten, defeated

adjective bah-TEW Rare

Origin: Past participle of battre (to beat), from Latin 'battuere'

Also means

beaten (as in eggs or cream)

Usage Note

Battu is the past participle of battre used as an adjective. Battu describes both sporting defeat (l'équipe battue) and physical abuse (enfant battu). The expression sentier battu (well-worn path) and hors des sentiers battus ('off the beaten track') are very common idioms. The feminine form is battue.

Examples

"L'équipe rentra chez elle, battue et épuisée."

Natural Translation

The team came home beaten and exhausted.

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