biceps

Forms

biceps m (invariable)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin biceps (“two-headed”),^[2][3][4] formed from bis (“twice”) and caput (“head”).^[3][4][5] In Latin it also meant “split in two”.^[3] The anatomists took it up for a muscle with two attachments at its upper end.^[2][3] Picoche lists it with triceps under the Latin base ⟨-ceps⟩.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Ambroise Paré in 1562, as an adjective: le muscle biceps ou à deux testes de la cuisse “the biceps or two-headed muscle of the thigh”.^[2][4][5]

Semantic evolution

Used at first as an adjective qualifying a muscle with two upper attachments, it became a noun in 1704, especially for the muscle of the arm.^[3][4] Since the Latin meaning was no longer felt, this special sense became its only everyday use.^[3] By metaphor it came to stand for physical strength, as in avoir du biceps “to be strong” (1867).^[3][7]

The learned adjective bicipital “of the biceps” was formed on the Latin stem in 1805.^[3] The slang word biscoteau (about 1930), now familiar, is formed from the first syllables of biceps pronounced bis- and costaud “strong”, perhaps also playing on biscotte.^[3]

Timeline

• 1562 – Ambroise Paré uses muscle biceps for a two-headed thigh muscle.^[2][4]
• 1704 – First used as a noun.^[3][4]
• 1805 – The adjective bicipital is formed.^[3]
• 1867 – Avoir du biceps “to be strong” is recorded.^[3]
• c. 1930 – The slang synonym biscoteau appears.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (anatomy) A muscle whose end divides into two heads or tendons: biceps brachial (of the arm), biceps crural or fémoral (of the thigh).^[8][9][7]
2. The muscle at the front of the upper arm, which swells when the forearm is bent: Il gonflait ses biceps devant la glace.^[9][8]
3. (familiar) Avoir du biceps, avoir des biceps: to be strong, muscular.^[7][9]
4. (figurative) Brute physical strength.^[8]

Word family

• bicipital
• biscoteau

Related words

• triceps
• chef
• Latin caput

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert