Etymologically
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curée

Etymology and origin of the French word curée

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1160, Roman d'Énéas (curiée)
Ultimate origin
Latin (corium)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ky.ʁe/[1]

Forms

curée f (plural curées)[1] Old French cuiriee, curiée, cuirie (to the late 16th century); curee from about 1375.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is derived with the suffix -ée from cuir “hide”, because the portion given to the hounds was spread on the skin of the slain animal;[2][3][5][4][6][7] the Livre du roi Modus describes the meat being cut up and mixed with bread on the hide, and the dogs let loose on it.[8][2] An alternative explanation, an alteration of Old French corée (“entrails”) (from the word for “heart”) under the influence of cuir, is less likely;[2][8] Littré rejected it because the form “cuirée” is attested and corée is never found with this sense.[8] Wiktionary calls the origin disputed.[1] Cuir itself is from Latin corium (“hide”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Roman d'Énéas (about 1160) has curiée for the part of the slain beast left to the hounds.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In hunting it means both the hounds' portion and the moment it is given, as in sonner la curée.[4][5] Corneille (1642) uses it of food in general.[4]

The figurative sense is a rush for spoils, places or money when someone falls from power: donner curée “to rouse with the lure of gain” (Martin du Bellay, about 1536–1582), se ruer à la curée.[2][4][5]

Timeline

  • c. 1160 – Curiée (Énéas).[2]
  • c. 1375 – Curee (Modus et Ratio).[2]
  • c. 1536 – Figurative donner curée.[4]
  • 1638 – Être en curée (Richelieu).[4]
  • 1642 – “Food” (Corneille).[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (hunting) The portion of the quarry given to the hounds; the moment it is given.[5][1]
  2. (figurative) A scramble for spoils, places or profit: se ruer à la curée.[5][1]
  3. A vicious collective attack on someone.[1]
  • cuir

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1186b
  8. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Curée.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/cur%C3%A9e. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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