blaireau

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

French blaireau

Noun

blaireau (plural blaireaus)

  1. (archaic) Synonym of American badger

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/
  • Audio (Paris):(file)
  • Audio:(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