bis

bis¹ greyish brown

Pronunciation

• /bi/^[1]

Forms

bis (feminine bise, masculine plural bis, feminine plural bises)^[1]

Etymology

The word for the greyish-brown colour is of unclear origin.^[2][3][4][5] The FEW derives it from Late Latin *bombyceus, bombycius (“of silk, silk-coloured”), from Latin bombyx (“silkworm”), by loss of the first syllable;^[6] the Grand Robert and Petit Robert give this as possible, but the TLFi and Rey find it hard to square with the sound changes, unless the French and Italian words are half-learned, as Horning held.^[7][8][2][5] Diez's first proposal, Vulgar Latin *bysseus (“cotton-coloured”) from byssus (“fine linen”), which Wiktionary follows, does not explain the voiced /z/ of the Gallo-Romance forms.^[2][5][1][9] The proposed Frankish *bīsi (“grey, overcast”), linked with bise “north wind”, and an altered form of gris are rejected on grounds of sense and sound.^[2][5] P. Guiraud proposed a popular derivative of Latin bis (“twice”), Vulgar Latin *biseus “made of two parts”, hence “mixed, impure”, without further proof.^[7][5]

Cognate with Old Occitan bis, Italian bigio and perhaps Spanish bazo.^[3][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1100 in the Chanson de Roland, of a stone: Rollant ferit en une perre bise “Roland struck a grey-brown stone”.^[2][9]

Semantic evolution

In Anglo-Norman it meant grey or dark, was used as a surname and of a grey fur, and named a Franciscan friar and brown bread.^[10] It qualifies a grey colour tending to brown, especially of coarse bread darkened by its bran, pain bis; that phrase is still common, while the other uses, such as étoffe bise, have aged.^[5][2] The phrase à bis ou à blanc “one way or another” is recorded by Cotgrave in 1611.^[11]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Perre bise in the Chanson de Roland.^[2]
• 1121–1125 – First Anglo-Norman record.^[10]
• 1555 – The derivative biset is recorded.^[3]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records à bis ou à blanc.^[11]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Greyish brown, beige: de la toile bise.^[8][4][1]
2. Pain bis: brown bread, grey-brown from the bran it contains.^[8][5]
3. Of the skin, brownish: un teint bis.^[8][2]

Word family

• biset

bis² twice, encore

Etymology tree of bis²

inherited borrowed derived

Latin bis

French bis

From the same root · bis²

Latin biscoctus ← bis

Pronunciation

• /bis/^[1]

Forms

bis (invariable)^[1]

Etymology

The word for “twice” is borrowed from Latin bis (“twice”), recorded only in 1690.^[2][3][5] The Latin adverb, found from Plautus on, belongs with duo (“two”);^[5] Cicero cites its older form dvis, and it corresponds to Ancient Greek δίς (dís).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Furetière records it in 1690 as meaning “twice”, used in music to mark the repetition of a verse or couplet of a song.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Since the 18th century it has been shouted at concerts and shows to ask for a piece to be performed again: Rousseau has bis, bis in Émile (1762), and Diderot used it as a noun.^[2][5] Placed after a number, it shows that the number is used a second time, as in house numbers.^[5][2] It gave the verb bisser (1820).^[3][5]

Timeline

• 1690 – Furetière records the musical adverb.^[2]
• 1762 – Rousseau uses it as a cry for an encore.^[2][5]
• 18th century – Diderot uses it as a noun.^[2]
• 1820 – The verb bisser is recorded.^[3][5]
• 1835 – The Académie française gives article 5 bis.^[2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. After a number, showing that it is repeated: le 7 bis.^[8][4][2]
2. (music) A second time, marking a passage to be repeated.^[8][4]

Interjection

1. A cry of “encore”, asking a performer to repeat a piece.^[8][12]

Noun

1. An encore, a piece repeated or added at the audience's request.^[4][8]

Adjective

1. Alternative, secondary: itinéraire bis, a relief route.^[12][1]

Word family

• bisser