bedeau

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French [Term?], from Old French bedel (“officer in minor judicial affairs”), from Frankish *bidil (“candidate”), from Proto-Germanic *bidilaz (“seeker”), from Proto-Germanic *bidjaną (“to ask, beseech”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- (“to command”), merging with Frankish *budil (“official representative, herald”), from Proto-Germanic *budilaz (“messenger, herald”), from Proto-Germanic *beudaną (“to present, offer”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (“to be aware, comprehend”). Akin to Old High German butil (“beadle”), Old English bydel (“beadle”), Old High German bitil, bitel (“a candidate, requestor”), bittan (“to ask, seek”). More at bid.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bə.do/

Noun

bedeau m (plural bedeaux)

1. verger, beadle

Further reading

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