moue

English

WOTD - 14 April 2011    

Etymology

From French moue, from Old French moe (“grimace”), from Frankish *mauwa (“pout, protruding lip”). Compare mow (“grimace”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /muː/
• Homophone: moo

Noun

moue (plural moues)

1. A pout, especially as expressing mock-annoyance or flirtatiousness. [from 19th c.]
   • 1913, Jack London, The Valley of the Moon:

     She glanced aside to the rim of the looking-glass where his photograph was wedged, shuddered, and made a moue of distaste.

   • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter VIII:

     She made what I believe, though I wouldn't swear to it, is called a moue. Putting the lips together and shoving them out, if you know what I mean. The impression I got was that she was disappointed in Bertram, having expected better things [...].

   • 2011, Hadley Freeman, The Guardian, 2 Feb 2011:

     Why do you wear European clothes?" fumed Oscar de la Renta with a moue of disapproval and stamp of his bejewelled foot (probably).

Usage notes

Often used in the phrase “make a moue”, influenced by French “faire la moue”, meaning “to pout”.

Translations

pout

Finnish: mutristaminen (fi), mutristus (fi) (in mock-annoyance); muikistus (fi) (in flirtatiousness)

Russian: недовольная гримаса (ru) f.

External links

• “moue”, April 04, 2009 Word of the Day, Merriam-Webster

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French

Etymology

Middle French moue, from Old French moe (“grimace”), of Germanic origin, from Frankish *mauwa (“pout, protruding lip”). Akin to Middle Dutch mouwe "protruding lip".

Pronunciation

• IPA: /mu/

Noun

moue f. (plural moues)

1. pout, moue

Derived terms

• faire la moue