bichon

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French bichon.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /biʃɔn/

Noun

bichon (plural bichons)

  1. Any of a class of toy dogs with curly or wavy hair and long curled tails.
  2. (especially Canada, US) A Bichon Frisé.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Further reading

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French bichon (small long-haired dog), from Old French biche (bitch, female dog), from Old English biċċe (female dog), from Proto-West Germanic *bikkjā, from Proto-Germanic *bikjǭ (female dog, bitch). Cognate with Old Norse bikkja (female dog), German Betze (female dog).

Alternative etymology derives through clipping of barbichon (small poodle), a diminutive of barbiche (shaggy dog), however, chronology makes this derivation improbable if not impossible, as bichon is attested since 1588, yet barbichon does not appear until 1694.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi.ʃɔ̃/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

bichon m (plural bichons, feminine bichonne)

  1. bichon
  2. lapdog

Derived terms

Further reading