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bigoterie

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Etymology and origin of the French word bigoterie

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1450 Cent Nouvelles nouvelles More words from the 15th century
Ultimate origin
French bigot,-erie
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French bigoterie
English bigotry

Pronunciation

  • /bi.ɡɔ.tʁi/[1]

Forms

bigoterie f (plural bigoteries)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French bigot + -erie.[2][1][3][4] The origin of bigot is disputed: it first appears in Wace about 1155 as an insulting nickname for the Normans, which has been explained from an English oath meaning by God, while an older view connects it with the name of the Visigoths.[4][3] Bloch and Wartburg think it was taken again in the 15th century from a Middle High German oath meaning by God.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded about 1450 in the Cent Nouvelles nouvelles, in the sense of the narrow devotion of a bigot.[2][4][5]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its pejorative sense of excessive, narrow devotion attached to forms and details.[4][2] In the 16th century it is found in the plural for bigoted practices, as in d'Aubigné.[6] It can also mean prudery, an exaggerated reserve.[2] Familiarly it names bigots as a group.[5] Beside it, bigotisme is recorded from 1646 but is little used.[4][7]

Timeline

  • c. 1450 – First recorded in the Cent Nouvelles nouvelles.[2][4]
  • 16th century – D'Aubigné writes bigotteries in his Histoire.[6]
  • 1646 – Bigotisme is recorded beside it.[4][7]
  • 1850 – Flaubert writes bigotterie in his correspondence.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (pejorative) Narrow, excessive devotion attached to forms and details; sanctimoniousness: la bigoterie de sa tante.[7][2][8]
  2. Excessive reserve, prudery.[2]
  3. (familiar) Bigots as a group.[5]
  • bigot
  • bigotisme
  • cagoterie
  • tartuferie

Usage notes

Bigoterie is close in sense to cagoterie and tartuferie.[5][8] Flaubert's spelling bigotterie is not in the dictionaries.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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
  3. ^ a b c 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 g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Bigoterie.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/bigoterie. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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