perdrix

Forms

perdrix f (invariable)^[1] Old French perdiz, perdix, then perdriz (about 1170) and perdrix (late 14th century).^[2][3][4] Littré quotes pertrix and pietris.^[5]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French perdriz, inherited from Latin perdīx (“partridge”), from Ancient Greek πέρδιξ (pérdix).^[2][3][1] The Old French form grew out of the older perdix: an ⟨r⟩ developed after the group ⟨rd⟩, as in Old French chardron beside chardon.^[3]

Rey derives the Greek word, with the suffix ⟨-ik⟩ of some animal names, from a vulgar verb meaning “to break wind”, an etymology already given in antiquity, the sound being that of the bird taking flight; the verb has Indo-European cognates in Sanskrit, Germanic, Slavic and Baltic.^[3] Etymonline traces it to an imitative root Proto-Indo-European *perd-.^[6]

Cognate with Italian pernice, Occitan perditz, Catalan perdiu, Spanish perdiz and Portuguese perdiz.^[7][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire (about 1119) has perdix, and the Livre des Rois (about 1170) perdriz for the bird: une perdriz des munz “a partridge of the mountains”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The word names a game bird of Europe much sought by hunters, and with qualifiers other related birds: perdrix blanche (Belon, 1555), perdrix des neiges.^[3][2] Compagnie de perdrix, the birds of one brood flying together, is recorded by Furetière in 1690.^[8] In African French perdrix is the francolin, and in Quebec French the ruffed grouse and also the spruce grouse (perdrix des savanes).^[3] In Louisiana it means the quail.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 1119 – Perdix in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire.^[2][3]
• c. 1170 – Perdriz in the Livre des Rois.^[2][4]
• 1377 – The derivative perdrïel, later perdreau, is recorded.^[3]
• Late 14th century – The spelling perdrix appears.^[2][3]
• 1555 – Belon writes of perdris blanches.^[2][8]
• 1690 – Furetière records compagnie de perdrix.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A partridge, a medium-sized game bird with grey or reddish plumage: perdrix grise, perdrix rouge.^[9][2]
2. With a qualifier, other birds: perdrix blanche, perdrix des neiges, the ptarmigan.^[9][3]
3. (Quebec) The ruffed grouse.^[3]
4. (Louisiana) The quail.^[1]

Word family

• œil-de-perdrix

Related words

• perdreau
• Latin perdīx
• English partridge

Usage notes

Littré notes that the final ⟨x⟩ is not sounded in liaison.^[5] Perdreau is felt to be closely related, but Rey derives it from a blend of perdrix with Latin gallus “cock”.^[3]

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 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert