Etymologically
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coq

Etymology and origin of the French word coq

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Inherited
First attested
1121–1135, Philippe de Thaon
Inherited from
Latin coccus via Old French
Ultimate origin
Late Latin (coccus)

Pronunciation

Forms

coq m (plural coqs)[1] Old French coc (nominative cos); the final /k/, silent in the 17th century, has been restored.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French coc, inherited from Late Latin coccus, found in the Salic Law (6th century), a word of imitative origin;[3][4][5][6][7] Petronius already writes the cock's crow “cocococo”.[3][4] Rey points out that the imitation may rather be of the hen's cry, and gives Guiraud's view of a Picard and Anglo-Norman word from a Germanic word for “heap” crossed with Latin “coccum” “scarlet”.[8][5] Wiktionary derives the Late Latin word from Proto-West Germanic *kokk, related to English cock.[1]

“Coq” replaced Old French jal, from Latin gallus (“cock”), which survives in Italian gallo and Spanish gallo.[3][8][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire (1121–1135) uses it for the male of the hen.[3][5]

Semantic evolution

The cock's proud bearing gave coq de paroisse (1467) and coq de village (1549), a man who struts as the most important in his community.[3] The name passed to the males of other birds, coq de bruyère “grouse” (Walloon, 1317), and to things shaped like a cock, such as the weathercock on a church spire (coq de clocher).[3][9]

In boxing poids coq is bantamweight (1936).[3] Derivatives include coquet (15th century) and coq-à-l'âne “cock-and-bull talk” (Marot, 1532).[4]

Timeline

  • 6th century – Late Latin coccus (Salic Law).[3][4]
  • 1121–1135 – Coc (Philippe de Thaon).[3]
  • 1317 – Coq de bruyère.[3]
  • 1467 – Coq de paroisse.[3]
  • 1532 – Coq-à-l'âne.[4]
  • 1936 – Poids coq.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A cock or rooster: le chant du coq.[6][1]
  2. The male of other birds: coq de bruyère “grouse”.[6][3]
  3. Coq au vin: chicken cooked in wine.[6]
  4. (figurative) A man who struts about: coq de village.[6][3]
  5. (boxing) Poids coq: bantamweight.[3]

Word family

  • coquet
  • coquetterie
  • coq-à-l'âne

Usage notes

A second coq, a ship's cook (maître-coq), was borrowed in 1671 from Dutch kok, from Latin coquus; it is related to queux.[5][6][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  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 e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 857a
  8. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Coq.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/coq. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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