bistro

Forms

bistro m (plural bistros)^[1] Also spelled bistrot, recorded from 1892.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain.^[2][5][6] It may come from Poitevin-Saintongeais bistraud (“little servant, young cowherd”), a word that would first have named the wine merchant's helper and then the merchant himself.^[7][5][8][2]

Other proposals are a link with bistingo “cabaret” (1845) and bistringue, a variant of bastringue, all of obscure origin,^[2][5] and P. Guiraud's back-formation from bistrouille, a variant of bistouille “bad liquor, coffee laced with brandy”, the bistro being the place where such drink is mixed;^[2][9][3] Rey also mentions, for want of better, a popular derivative of bistre for a dark, smoky place.^[2] The often repeated story that Cossacks occupying Paris in 1814 called Russian быстро (bystro, “quickly”) to be served faster is ruled out by the dates, since the word is not found for some seventy years after.^[2][3][1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1884, in the sense “keeper of a wine shop or café”.^[2][7][5]

Semantic evolution

The first sense, the café keeper, has aged, giving way to that of a small, usually modest café (1901).^[2][3] The word became the symbol of the small French café and, especially from the 1980s, was applied to restaurants in a simple style that may nevertheless be expensive;^[2][3] style bistrot describes furniture and objects imitating the Parisian cafés of the early 20th century.^[2][3] It gave the feminine bistrote (1914) and, crossed with troquet, bistroquet (1926).^[2] English borrowed it as bistro in 1906.^[6]

Timeline

• 1884 – First recorded, for a café keeper.^[2][7]
• 1892 – The spelling bistrot appears.^[2][3]
• 1901 – The sense “small café” is recorded.^[2]
• 1906 – English borrows it as bistro.^[6]
• 1914 – The feminine bistrote appears.^[2][3]
• 1926 – Bistroquet is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (familiar) A small, modest café or restaurant.^[4][3][1]
2. (dated) The keeper of such a café, a wine merchant serving drinks.^[3][4][1]
3. In apposition: style bistrot, in the style of old Parisian cafés.^[3][2]

Word family

• bistrotier

Related words

• bistouille
• troquet
• English bistro

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds., Le Nouveau Petit Robert, Paris: Le Robert (1990s edition)
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
9. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)