étrenne

See also: étrenné

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French estreine, inherited from Latin strēna (“good omen, New Year's gift”). Compare Portuguese estreia and Spanish estrena.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e.tʁɛn/

• Audio (Canada (Shawinigan)):

  (file)

Noun

étrenne f (plural étrennes)

1. (obsolete) the first sale of the day made by a shopkeeper, merchant etc.
2. (rare) the first time something is used/worn/done
3. (in the plural) New Year's gift; Christmas present (especially when talking to a child)

   Et que veux-tu pour tes étrennes? ― And what would you like for Christmas?

   • 1857, Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary […]‎^[1], Paris: Michel Lévy Frères:

     Quelques-unes de ses camarades apportaient au couvent les keepsakes qu'elles avaient reçus en étrennes.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1894, Crafty, À travers Paris, page 14:

     Les gens prévoyants n’ont pas attendu le Ier janvier pour expédier leurs étrennes.

     The far-sighted did not wait until January 1st to send their New Year's gifts.

Derived terms

• étrenner

Further reading

• “étrenne”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012