pucele
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Old French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
First attested in the 10th century as pulcella, from Vulgar Latin *pūllicella, of disputed origin. Possibly a diminutive of Latin pullus (“young of animals, chick”), or pullus as a contraction of *purulus, from purus (“pure”). Alternatively from Latin puella (“girl”) through a Vulgar Latin root *puellicella.
Noun[edit]
pucele oblique singular, f (oblique plural puceles, nominative singular pucele, nominative plural puceles)
- a young, unmarried woman
- 12th or 13th century, Marie de France, Lanval:
- Le chevaler avant ala, e la pucele l'apela
- The knight went onwards, and the young girl called to him
- (by extension) a virgin
Descendants[edit]
References[edit]
- Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (pucele, supplement)
- pucele on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub