Etymologically
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mignon

Etymology and origin of the French word mignon

History Permalink
Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1160, Béroul, Tristan

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /mi.ɲɔ̃/[1]

Forms

mignon (feminine mignonne, masculine plural mignons, feminine plural mignonnes)[1]

Etymology

The TLFi and Rey derive it, with the suffix -on, from an expressive stem “mign-” that originally expressed sweetness and grace, distinct from the stem of minet “cat”.[2][3][4] Rey mentions and rejects as splitting the group without good reason a Celtic origin, from Old Irish mín (“small, tender, gentle”), and a Germanic one from Proto-Germanic *minjō.[3] Wiktionary favours the Germanic source, through Frankish *minnju (“love, affection”); compare Old High German minna (“love”).[1] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert see in it mignot with a change of suffix, perhaps from the word for a cat.[5][6] Littré already compared Breton miñonez (“friend”) and German Minne (“love”), and rejected a derivation from Latin minimus.[7]

From the 15th and 16th centuries it displaced the older word (1225), still widespread in the dialects, whose derivatives mignoter and amignoter survive.[2][3][8] Italian mignone has the same stem.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Béroul's Tristan (late 12th century) has it once as a noun, apparently an insult for a man who lends himself to another's lust.[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

In the first half of the 15th century the noun meant a lover; in 1446 it named the young favourites of Charles VII's court, and in 1594 the effeminate favourites of Henri III, the mignons.[2][3] Ma mignonne “my sweetheart” is found about 1460–1480.[2][3]

The adjective “graceful, pretty, pleasing” appears in Guillaume Coquillart (1478–1480), and soon after the noun was a term of endearment with no erotic overtone (1530).[2][3] From the 16th century, with the idea of smallness and charm, it was used of a typeface (1561), fruit (1690, pesche mignonne), children's shoes (1831) and the filet mignon cut from the tip of the fillet (1833).[2][3] Péché mignon, a small habitual weakness, is in the Académie dictionary of 1718.[2][3] It was borrowed as English mignon “delicately formed” in the 1550s.[9]

Timeline

  • late 12th century – An insult, in Béroul's Tristan.[2]
  • 1225 – The older mignot.[3]
  • 1446 – The favourites of Charles VII.[2][3]
  • 1478–1480 – The adjective “graceful, pretty”, in Coquillart.[2]
  • 1555 – Mignon de couchette “bedfellow”.[2]
  • 1594 – The favourites of Henri III, in the Satyre Ménippée.[2]
  • 1718 – Péché mignon, in the Académie dictionary.[2][3]
  • 1833 – Filet mignon.[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Cute, dainty, charming in its smallness: une mignonne petite fille, mignonne comme tout.[6][4][1]
  2. (familiar) Kind, nice, obliging.[6]
  3. Péché mignon: a little weakness, a favourite indulgence.[6][3]
  4. Filet mignon: a cut from the tip of the fillet.[6][3]

Noun

  1. A darling, a term of endearment: mon mignon, ma mignonne.[2][3]
  2. (history) A favourite of a prince, especially one of the favourites of Henri III.[2][3]
  3. A small cake.[1]

Word family

  • mignonnette
  • mignard
  • mignardise
  • mignonnement

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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 h i j k l m n o p q Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  9. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Mignon.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/mignon. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·