Etymologically
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biche

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Pronunciation

Forms

biche f (plural biches)[1] Old French bisse (about 1135, common in the 12th–13th centuries), bische, biche (about 1155–1160).[2][3][4]

Etymology

The older form “bisse” is inherited from Vulgar Latin bistia (“beast”) (6th century), a variant of classical Latin bēstia, the source of bête.[2][3][4][1][5] The form “biche” is harder to explain.[2][1] It is usually taken for a Norman or Picard variant that spread from Paris;[2][3][6] Rey objects that those dialects also had “bisse” and that the regular outcome of “-sti-” is “-is-” everywhere.[2] The Grand Robert suggests confusion with the diminutive suffix “-iche” (as in pouliche);[4] Wiktionary also mentions a link with bique “nanny goat”, from Frankish *bik.[1] The sense “hind” comes from the language of hunting.[3][6]

From the same Latin form come Italian biscia (“grass snake”) and Portuguese bicho (“worm, insect”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old French bisse is found about 1135, and biche about 1155–1160 for the female of the red deer.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In the manuscripts of Chrétien de Troyes bisse is the usual form until the mid-13th century, when biche spread in Picard manuscripts and then in the literary language.[2] The word has kept the sense “female deer”, and in Canadian French it is also the wapiti.[7][1]

The gentle animal gave the term of endearment ma biche and yeux or regard de biche, gentle eyes;[6][7][8] in the 19th century a biche was also a kept woman.[6] Ventre-de-biche is a reddish-white colour, and furniture à pieds de biche has gently curved legs.[7] The diminutive bichette is from the 14th century.[3]

Timeline

  • 6th century – Late Latin bistia.[2]
  • c. 1135 – Bisse.[2][4]
  • c. 1155–1160 – Biche.[2][4]
  • mid-13th century – Biche becomes general.[2]
  • 14th century – Bichette (Froissart).[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A doe or hind, the female deer.[7][1]
  2. (familiar) A term of endearment: ma biche.[7][1]
  3. (Canada) A wapiti.[1]
  4. Yeux de biche: large, gentle eyes.[6][8]

Word family

  • pied-de-biche
  • bichette

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 1, 340a
  6. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b 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