blaireau
French edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Middle French blereau, blariau, from Old French blarel, from blair.
- Possibly from Frankish *blari (“sporting a white blaze on the forehead”) (compare *blasā).
- Alternatively, from Gaulish *blaros, referring to the color gray, closely related to Proto-Celtic *blāwos (“yellow”).
- According to Bratchet, from a diminutive of blé (“corn, wheat”) thus meaning an animal that feeds on corn.[1]
Replaced Old French taisson (“badger”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
blaireau m (plural blaireaux, feminine blairelle)
Derived terms edit
References edit
- ^ Brachet, A. (1873) “blaireau”, in Kitchin, G. W., transl., Etymological dictionary of the French language (Clarendon Press Series), 1st edition, London: Oxford/MacMillan and Co.
Further reading edit
- “blaireau”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams edit
Norman edit
Etymology edit
From Old French blarel, from blair.
Noun edit
blaireau m (plural blaireaus)