piètre

poor

adjective pee-EHTR Rare

Also means

mediocre

Usage Note

Piètre is a formal or literary adjective usually placed before the noun (un piètre résultat, une piètre consolation). It expresses not simple badness but a somewhat pathetic inadequacy. It does not change form between masculine and feminine, and learners will mostly encounter it in written registers.

Examples

"C'était un piètre effort de sa part."

Natural Translation

It was a poor effort on his part.

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