French

Etymology

From Middle French [Term?], from Old French biche ‎(“doe, female deer”) and bisse ‎(“wild animal”), of uncertain origin and relation. The form bisse is almost certainly from Vulgar Latin bīstia, variant of Latin bēstia (compare bête); however, the contemporary biche is an enigma, and possibly unrelated. It may be the Picard form of bisse, (compare chent for cent) or may share origin with Middle French bique ‎(“nanny-goat”), believed to be derived from Proto-Germanic *bik ‎(“goat”). More at bouc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /biʃ/

Noun

biche f ‎(plural biches)

1. doe, hind
2. bitch (affectionate name for one's girlfriend)

Verb

biche

1. inflection of bicher:
   1. first-person and third-person singular present indicative
   2. first-person and third-person singular present subjunctive
   3. second-person singular imperative

Italian

Noun

biche f

1. plural of bica

Middle English

Alternative forms

• bicche
• biche
• becche
• buche
• bikk

Noun

biche (plural biches)

1. bitch (female dog)
2. (of a woman) bitch (despicable or disagreeable woman)
3. (of a man) bitch (despicable or heathen man)

Descendants

• English: bitch

Norman

Alternative forms

• bich (Sark)

Pronunciation

Noun

biche f ‎(plural biches)

1. (Jersey) goat
2. (Jersey) drunk woman

Coordinate terms

• trop-pliein ‎(“drunk man”)

Derived terms

• bichot ‎(“billy goat”)
• bichette ‎(“female kid”)

Old French

Noun

biche f ‎(oblique plural biches, nominative singular biche, nominative plural biches)

1. Alternative form of bisse

Spanish

Noun

biche m ‎(plural biches)

1. Alternative spelling of viche