gégène

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English

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Etymology

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From French gégène.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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gégène (uncountable)

  1. (chiefly historical) A form of electroshock torture, especially as used by the French during the Algerian War of 1954-1962, whereby electrodes are run from a field generator to parts of a victim's body.
    • 1977, Alistair Horne, A Savage War of Peace, New York: Review Books, published 2006, page 197:
      It was a view that would not necessarily be shared by Algerians subjected to the gégène or having had their bellies pumped full of water during the Battle of Algiers.
    • 2007, Darius Rejali, Torture and Democracy, page 162:
      The politicians were helpless. Paras used the gégène no matter how much politicians condemned it.
    • 2011, Vincent Crapanzano, The Harkis, page 68:
      Refusing to answer questions about the political affiliations of various villagers, he was subjected to the gégène.

French

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Etymology

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Colloquial abbreviation of génératrice.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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gégène f (plural gégènes)

  1. (military, slang) "genny", generator; dynamo
  2. electroshock torture, gégène

Further reading

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