pépin

See also: Pepìn

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pe.pɛ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old French pepin, probably from a root like Vulgar Latin *pép, an expressive creation used to express smallness.

Noun

pépin m (plural pépins)

1. pip (the seed from fruit)
2. (slang) hitch, glitch (small problem encountered)

Derived terms

• épépiner
• pépinière

Etymology 2

Etymology unclear, possibly from a vaudeville character with an outsize umbrella

Noun

pépin m (plural pépins)

1. (slang) umbrella
2. (colloquial) a problem
3. (slang) parachute

References

• Etymology and history of “pépin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Further reading

• “pépin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• nippe