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hachis

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Etymology and origin of the French word hachis

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1280 Bibbesworth, as hagis More words from the 13th century
Ultimate origin
French hacher,-is

Pronunciation

Forms

hachis m (uncountable)[1] Old French hagis (about 1280), Middle French hacheiz (1355).[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from French hacher + -is,[4][1] from the verb in its sense “to cut into small pieces”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Grand Robert and the GLLF find hagis in Bibbesworth about 1280.[3][2] The TLFi's first record is hacheiz in an account of 1355 (Gaucher de Vannes), meaning engraving work done with a burin.[4][5]

Semantic evolution

The culinary sense, a preparation of very finely chopped meat or fish, is recorded by Robert Estienne in 1538–39 and has remained the main one.[4][5][2] Hachis Parmentier, minced beef covered with mashed potato, is attested only in the 20th century.[5][2] In Quebec the word names a dish of meat and potatoes cooked in stock.[5]

Figuratively hachis has meant cutting to pieces and destruction, and since 1770 it has meant a shapeless mass of fragments, like compote and marmelade.[5] Bazin uses it in 1954 for a shapeless jumble of odd fragments.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 1280 – Hagis in Bibbesworth.[2][3]
  • 1355 – Hacheiz “burin work” in an account.[4]
  • 1538 – Robert Estienne records hachis for a dish of chopped meat.[3][5]
  • 1770 – Figuratively, a shapeless mass of fragments.[5]
  • 20th century – Hachis Parmentier.[5][2]
  • 1954 – Bazin uses it for a jumble of odd fragments.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (cooking) Meat or fish chopped very finely, used as a stuffing or as a dish in its own right: un hachis de bœuf.[7][4] By extension, other chopped foods: hachis de champignons.[7][4][2]
  2. Hachis Parmentier: minced beef covered with purée and baked in the oven, a cottage pie.[7][2]
  3. (Quebec) A dish of meat and potatoes cooked in stock.[5]
  4. (figurative) A shapeless jumble of fragments.[6][5]
  • hacher
  • hache

Usage notes

The ⟨h⟩ is aspirated, so there is no liaison: un hachis appétissant is said without a linking /z/;[8] Littré notes that Chifflet's grammar made the same remark in the 17th century.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b c d 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 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 e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Hachis.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/hachis. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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