chien de Jean de Nivelle

French

Etymology

Literally, “Jean de Nivelle's dog”. Of unclear origin. Jean de Nivelle is sometimes speculated to have been a son of Jean de Montmorency who refused to help his father and support Louis XI in the war against the duke of Burgundy. When his furious father disinherited him, Jean de Nivelle fled to Flanders.

Noun

chien de Jean de Nivelle m (plural chiens de Jean de Nivelle)

1. a disobedient animal or a person

References

• chien de Jean de Nivelle at the online public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopaedia.