blaireau

French

Etymology

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

  • IPA(key): /blɛ.ʁo/, /ble.ʁo/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Noun

blaireau m (plural blaireaux, feminine blairelle)

  1. badger
  2. shaving brush
  3. (colloquial) fool
    Synonyms: branleur, branque, brêle, clampin, tocard
    T’es vraiment un blaireau.You're truly a fool.

Derived terms

References

  1. 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

Anagrams

Norman

Etymology

From Old French blarel, from blair.

Noun

blaireau m (plural blaireaus)

  1. (Jersey) badger
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