n. & adj.
--n.
1. a person born of parents not married to each other.
2 sl. a an unpleasant or despicable person. b a person of a specified kind (poor bastard; rotten bastard; lucky bastard).
3 sl. a difficult or awkward thing, undertaking, etc.
--adj.
1. born of parents not married to each other; illegitimate.
2 (of things): a unauthorized, counterfeit. b hybrid.
Derivatives:
bastardy n. (in sense 1 of n.).
Etymology: ME f. OF f. med.L bastardus, perh. f. bastum pack-saddle