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. bastardy n. (in sense 1 of n.).
[ ME f. OF f. med.L bastardus, perh. f. bastum pack-saddle ]