Etymologically
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bouder

Etymology and origin of the French word bouder

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Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Onomatopoeia
First attested
c. 1350

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /bu.de/[1]

Forms

bouder[1]

Etymology

It is probably an expressive formation on a stem “bod-” expressing swelling (compare bedaine, boudin), for the pouting lips of a sulky person.[2][3][4][5][6] Diez and Littré gathered Romance and dialect forms with this stem: Rouchi “boder” “to swell”, Provençal “boudenflá” “to puff up”, Piedmontese fé 'l bodou“ “to stick out the lower lip”.[7] Guiraud proposed a Gallo-Roman ”*bullitare“ or ”*bobitare, from Latin bulla (“bubble”).[2][4] Wiktionary relates the stem to Germanic words for swelling, such as English bud.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb is recorded about 1350;[2][4] a 15th-century Passion has Par ma foy vous ne boudez mie, you are not holding back at all.[7]

Semantic evolution

Bouder is to put on a sullen look, pouting, at first intransitively and, from 1718 with an object (il me boude), and by extension to shun something (bouder les distractions, ne pas bouder son plaisir).[2][5] Metaphorically it is used of things that work badly, and in horticulture and oyster farming of what grows poorly.[2] Derivatives are boudeur (1680), bouderie (1690) and boudoir (before 1730), jokingly “a room to sulk in”, a small elegant room where a lady could withdraw, Bruant (1901) has the pun faire du boudin.[2][3] In African French bouder can mean to be angry with someone.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1350 – First record.[2]
  • 1680 – Boudeur.[3]
  • 1690 – Bouderie.[3]
  • 1718 – Transitive use.[2]
  • Before 1730 – Boudoir.[3]
  • 1901 – Faire du boudin in Bruant.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To sulk, pout: bouder dans son coin.[5][1]
  2. (transitive) To be in a huff with (someone): il me boude.[5][1]
  3. To shun, keep away from: le public a boudé ce film, ne pas bouder son plaisir.[5][1]
  4. (of things) To be sluggish, (horticulture) to grow poorly.[2][5]

Word family

  • bouderie
  • boudeur
  • boudoir
  • boudeur
  • bouderie
  • boudoir
  • boudin
  • bedaine

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Bouder.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/bouder. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·