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Definition 2024


bichon

bichon

English

A Bichon Frisé.

Noun

bichon (plural bichons)

  1. A class of toy dogs with curly or wavy hair and long curled tails.
  2. (especially in North America) a Bichon Frisé.

Translations

See also


French

Etymology

From Middle French bichon (small long-haired dog), from Old French biche (bitch, female dog), from Old English biċċe (female dog), from Proto-Germanic *bikjǭ (female dog, bitch). Cognate with Old Norse bikkja (female dog), German Betze (female dog). More at bitch.

Alternative etymology derives through an apheresis of barbichon (small poodle), a diminutive of barbiche (shaggy dog), however, chronology makes this derivation improbable if not impossible, as bichon is attested since 1588, yet barbichon ("small poodle") does not appear until 1694.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /biʃɔ̃/

Noun

bichon m (plural bichons, feminine bichonne)

  1. (dog) bichon
  2. lapdog