boudoir

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bu.dwaʁ/^[1]

Forms

boudoir m (plural boudoirs)^[1]

Etymology

It is from French bouder + -oir, a jocular formation: properly “a room to sulk in”, where the lady of the house could withdraw to be alone.^[2][3][4][5] Bouder “to sulk” (14th century) is an expressive popular word, named from the pout one makes when sulking.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded before 1730, in Du Cerceau, for a small, elegant room where the mistress of the house retired to be alone or to talk with close friends.^[6][7] The Académie labelled it familiar in its editions of 1740 and 1798.^[7]

Semantic evolution

In the 18th century the boudoir became a place of love affairs, as in Sade's La Philosophie dans le boudoir; hence succès de boudoir and diplomatie de boudoir, a policy inspired by women.^[7][3] In the 19th century it was also given to a sponge finger, a use that is not well explained: Rey suggests an allusion to the elegant little room, or to the rounded shape of the lips or of the biscuit; the Petit Robert dates it to 1929.^[7][4]

English took the word in 1777.^[8]

Timeline

• before 1730 – First record, in Du Cerceau.^[6][4]
• 1740 – The Académie records it as a familiar word.^[7]
• 1777 – English borrows the word.^[8]
• 1929 – Recorded for a sugared sponge finger.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A lady's small, elegant private sitting room, a boudoir.^[4][9]
2. An oblong sponge finger covered with sugar.^[4][9]

Related words

• bouder
• bouderie
• boudeur
• English boudoir

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
3. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)