Etymologically
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mascotte

Etymology and origin of the French word mascotte

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1867, Zola
Ultimate origin
Occitan (mascoto)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French mascotte
English mascot

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /mas.kɔt/[1]

Forms

mascotte f (plural mascottes)[1]

Etymology

It is a late borrowing (1867) of Provençal mascoto (“spell, bewitchment at gambling”) (before 1850),[2][3][4][5] a derivative of Occitan masco (“witch”), from Old Occitan masca (1396), a word of pre-Romance origin according to Rey (compare masque);[3][1] Bloch and Wartburg relate it to the “masca” of the Lombard laws.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Zola's Les Mystères de Marseille (1867) is the first record.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Audran's operetta La Mascotte (1880) spread the word, for a person, animal or object thought to bring luck: la mascotte du régiment.[3][4][6] In slang it once meant a virgin, thought to bring luck to a first partner (Verlaine has it for a young girl, 1893).[3][7] For unknown reasons it is also a round sponge cake covered with coffee cream.[3][6] English mascot was taken from French in 1881.[8]

Timeline

  • 1867 – In Zola.[2]
  • 1880 – Audran's La Mascotte.[3]
  • 1881 – English mascot.[8]
  • 1893 – “Young girl”, in Verlaine.[7]
  • 1963 – A cake.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A mascot, lucky charm: la mascotte d'un club sportif.[9][1]
  2. (cooking) A sponge cake covered with coffee buttercream.[6][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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 c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Mascotte.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/mascotte. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·