Bastard  often offens. —n. 1 person born of an unmarried mother. 2 slang a unpleasant or despicable person. B person of a specified kind (poor, lucky, bastard). 3 slang difficult or awkward thing. —attrib. Adj. 1 illegitimate by birth. 2 unauthorized, counterfeit, hybrid.  bastardy n. (in sense 1 of n.). [french from medieval latin]