Jump to content

bichon

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

[edit]
A Bichon Frisé.

Etymology

[edit]

Borrowed from French bichon.

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

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

[edit]

Translations

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]

French

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

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

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

Noun

[edit]

bichon m (plural bichons, feminine bichonne)

  1. bichon
  2. lapdog

Derived terms

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]