Etymologically
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joue

Etymology and origin of the French word joue

History Permalink
Confidence
Probable
Formation
Inherited
First attested
c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (joe)
Inherited from
Latin *gabota
Ultimate origin
Vulgar Latin (*gabota)

Pronunciation

Forms

joue f (plural joues)[1] Old French joe (about 1100), jode (12th century); joue from 1273.[2][3][4]

Etymology

Its origin is not certain.[2][4] It probably comes from a form “*gauta”, from a pre-Latin derivative inherited from Vulgar Latin *gabota or “*gabuta” of the pre-Latin base “*gaba” “crop, throat”, perhaps Gaulish, which is also behind gaver, jabot and gavotte.[5][2][6][3][7][8] The REW gives a Gaulish “gauta” “cheek”.[9] Littré reports Diez's idea that the word comes from Latin gabata (“bowl”), by a popular comparison.[10]

The forms of northern Italy (“gaulta”), Catalan galta, Old Occitan gauta, Franco-Provençal “dzauta” and Italian gota support this.[5][6][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) it is the side of a man's face: La destre joe en a tute sanglante “his right cheek is all bloody”.[5][10]

Semantic evolution

In the 12th century jodes also meant the jaws of an animal, and joue de bœuf (about 1393) the cheek of an ox.[5][2] From the gun pressed against the cheek to aim came avoir le mousquet en joue (1618) and the order en joue !.[5][2]

By analogy it named the side pieces of objects: in building (1426, 1446), in railways and pulleys, and, from 1680 the side of an armchair between seat and armrest.[5][2] Tendre l'autre joue, after the Gospel, is in Furetière (1690).[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Joe, Chanson de Roland.[5]
  • first half of the 12th century – Jodes, an animal's jaws.[5]
  • 1273 – The form joue, Adenet le Roi.[3]
  • c. 1393 – Joe de beuf, Ménagier de Paris.[5]
  • 1426 – A metal fitting in building.[5]
  • 1618 – Avoir le mousquet en joue, d'Aubigné.[5]
  • 1690 – Tendre l'autre joue.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The cheek: embrasser sur la joue, joues creuses, danser joue contre joue.[7][1]
  2. Tendre l'autre joue: to turn the other cheek.[3][7]
  3. En joue: aiming a gun: mettre en joue, en joue ! feu !.[5][2]
  4. The cheek of an animal: joue de bœuf.[5][2]
  5. (technical) A side piece of an object, of a pulley or an armchair.[5][2]

Word family

  • jouée
  • bajoue
  • abajoue
  • joufflu
  • gaver
  • jabot

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 5b
  9. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  10. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Joue.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/joue. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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