bistro
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
The French etymology is unclear (see Étymologie at French Wiktionary), and is presumed to come from a regional word: bistro, bistrot, bistingo, or bistraud, a word in the Poitou dialect which means a "lesser servant." Another offered is bistouille or bistrouille, a colloquial term from the northern area of France,[1] which is a mixture of brandy and coffee; precisely the kind of beverage that could be served at a bistro.
The first recorded use of the word appears in 1884,[2], and again in 1892 ("bistrot").
There is a folk etymology that the word originated from Russian troops who occupied Paris following the Napoleonic wars, and shouted бы́стро [ˈbɨstrə]—meaning "quickly" in Russian—to the waiters, so "bistro" meant a place where food was served quickly.[3]
This etymology is rejected, due to the 69 year gap between the proposed origin and the first attestation. Further, in Russia restaurants were not traditionally called "bistro", and the word "bistro" as used in Russian is seen as a French import, unrelated to the supposed Russian origin.
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
bistro (plural bistros)
- a small European restaurant
- a small bar
[edit] Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:pub
[edit] Translations
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Notes:
- ^ Glenn Randall Mack, Asele Surina. Food Culture In Russia And Central Asia. ISBN 0313327734. Page 154.
- ^ Robert K. Barnhart. The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology. ISBN 0824207459. Page 94.
- ^ Scarborough, Jack. The Origins of Cultural Differences and Their Impact on Management. ISBN 1567201237. Page 172;
Joseph, Nadine. Passport France. World Trade Press, 1997. Page 84.
