Tom Shales

Larry King's show got to be an increasingly lonely outpost of humane civility in a mephitic menagerie of hotheads, saber rattlers, cretins and crackpots.

American Writer

Jamie Dornan

It's a strange environment, being hounded. The paparazzi are cretins.

Irish Actor

Cretin is considered derogatory and shouldn't be used lightly.

Offensive Term

Used informally among friends but could be disrespectful if misunderstood.

Colloquial Usage

Implies a strong disapproval or frustration towards others' behavior.

Negative Connotation

Refers to a medical condition but is now considered outdated and insensitive.

Outdated Medical Term

Understanding its historical medical use helps comprehend past medical texts.

Historical Context

Its meaning has shifted socially from a clinical diagnosis to an insult.

Evolved Meaning

 And then you look at your colleague and say, "Why, you cretin! You put yours in the white bin." And we use that as a moral tickle. We feel so good about ourselves. If we -- well, OK, I'm just ... me. Not you, but I feel this way often.