pucele

Old French

Etymology

First attested in the 10th century as pulcella, from Vulgar Latin *pūllicella, of disputed origin. Possibly a diminutive of Latin pullus (“young of animals, chick”), or pullus as a contraction of *purulus, from purus (“pure”). Alternatively from Latin puella (“girl”) through a Vulgar Latin root *puellicella.

Noun

pucele oblique singular, f (oblique plural puceles, nominative singular pucele, nominative plural puceles)

a young, unmarried woman
- 12th or 13th century, Marie de France, Lanval:
  Le chevaler avant ala, e la pucele l'apela
  The knight went onwards, and the young girl called to him
(by extension) a virgin

Descendants

Middle French: pucelle
- French: pucelle
→ English: pucelle
→ Italian: pulzella

References

Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (pucele, supplement)

pucele on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

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