pieuvre

French

Etymology

From Guernsey Norman pieuvre (introduced or popularised by Victor Hugo ca. 1866; cf. also Old Northern French puerve). Ultimately from Latin polypūs (via *pueleve, *puelve, *pueuve, *pieuve, with the same /w/ > /j/ dissimilation as in yeux), from Ancient Greek πολύπους (polúpous, “several feet”). Doublet of poulpe.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pjœvʁ/

• Audio (Paris):

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• Audio (France (Vosges)):

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• Audio (France (Agen)):

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• Audio (France (Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost)):

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• Audio (France (Vosges)):

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• Audio (France):

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• Rhymes: -œvʁ
• Homophone: pieuvres

Noun

pieuvre f (plural pieuvres)

1. octopus

   Synonym: poulpe

Descendants

• Haitian Creole: pyèv
• → Italian: piovra

Further reading

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

Norman

Alternative forms

• peuvre (alternative Guernsey form)
• pievre (alternative Guernsey form)
• pövr (Sark)

Etymology

From Old Northern French puerve, from Latin polypus, from Ancient Greek πολύπους (polúpous, “several feet”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Jersey):

  (file)

Noun

pieuvre f (plural pieuvres)

1. (Jersey, Guernsey) octopus