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pouilleux

lousy, scruffy person

noun adjective poo-ee-YUH Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Appearance

Also means

wretched, squalid

Usage Note

Pouilleux originally meant 'louse-ridden' and retains a strong connotation of poverty and squalor. As a noun it refers to a destitute or filthy person; as an adjective it describes a run-down place — un quartier pouilleux ('a squalid neighborhood'). It is informal and somewhat pejorative; learners should use it with care.

Examples

"Il vivait dans un taudis pouilleux."

Natural Translation

He lived in a squalid slum.

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