bourrique

French

Dessin d'une bourrique (en haut) — Drawing of a jenny (top)

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish borrico (“donkey”) or from Occitan borrica (“jenny”), from Latin burricus (“small horse”), from burrus (“red, reddish-brown”), which is itself from Ancient Greek πυρρός (purrhós, “flame colored”), from πῦρ (pûr, “fire”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bu.ʁik/

  • Audio (France (Vosges)):

    (file)

• (Louisiana) IPA^(key): /bu.rik/
• Rhymes: -ik
• Homophone: bourriques

Noun

bourrique f (plural bourriques)

1. she-ass, jenny (female donkey)

   Synonym: ânesse f

2. (Louisiana) donkey
3. (Louisiana) mule
4. (Louisiana) ass, idiot
5. (Louisiana) a very stubborn person

Derived terms

• faire la bourrique
• faire tourner en bourrique
• tête de bourrique

Further reading

• “bourrique”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012
• Dictionary of Louisiana French: As Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and American Indian Communities (2009; →ISBN; →ISBN)