bourreau

executioner

noun boo-ROH Rare

Also means

tormentor

Usage Note

Bourreau has an irregular plural bourreaux. Beyond its historical sense of 'executioner', it is commonly used figuratively: bourreau de travail means 'workaholic' (someone who torments themselves with work). Bourreau des coeurs is a playful term for a heartbreaker.

Examples

"Le bourreau des coeurs de la classe était très populaire."

Natural Translation

The class heartbreaker was very popular.

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