Greek · Insults & Idiots
κερατάς
keratás
keh-rah-TAHSS · /ke.raˈtas/
Cuckold — a man whose partner cheats; also a general term of abuse.
genuinely rude; friends only, never at work
Literally
"horned one (cuckold)"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
The horns (κέρατα) are the ancient mark of the cheated-on husband, and in a culture that historically prized male honor this cut deep. Today κερατάς is used two ways: literally, of a man being cheated on, and loosely as all-purpose abuse for a scoundrel — "ο κερατάς με κορόιδεψε," the bastard tricked me. The horn shows up everywhere in Greek cursing ("γαμώ το κέρατό μου"). Watch-your-audience 3; the literal accusation still stings more than the casual one. Feminine κερατού is rarer.
Heard in the wild
Ο κερατάς μου χρωστάει ακόμα τα λεφτά.
The bastard still owes me the money.
Where it lands
Greece & Cyprus (universal)
Quick answers
- What does "κερατάς" mean?
- In Greek, "κερατάς" means "Cuckold — a man whose partner cheats; also a general term of abuse.". Literally it's "horned one (cuckold)". The horns (κέρατα) are the ancient mark of the cheated-on husband, and in a culture that historically prized male honor this cut deep. Today κερατάς is used two ways: literally, of a man being cheated on, and loosely as all-purpose abuse for a scoundrel — "ο κερατάς με κορόιδεψε," the bastard tricked me. The horn shows up everywhere in Greek cursing ("γαμώ το κέρατό μου"). Watch-your-audience 3; the literal accusation still stings more than the casual one. Feminine κερατού is rarer.
- Is "κερατάς" offensive?
- It's genuinely rude — a 3/5 (Watch your audience) on the Punch-o-Meter. Fine among friends, never at work or with people you've just met.
- How do you pronounce "κερατάς"?
- Say it "keh-rah-TAHSS" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ke.raˈtas.
Related in Greek
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