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

• Bichon Frisé
• Bolognese
• Bolonka
• Coton de Tulear
• Havanese
• Löwchen
• Maltese

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