Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
French disease. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
French disease, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
French disease in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
French disease you have here. The definition of the word
French disease will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
French disease, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
So called because it was spread by returning French troops in mediaeval times.
Noun
French disease (uncountable)
- (dated, euphemistic) Syphilis.
2010 November 30, L. McGough, Gender, Sexuality, and Syphilis in Early Modern Venice: The Disease that Came to Stay, Springer, →ISBN, page 88:Although the Inquisition trials dealing with the French disease are few in number, the cases provide competing opinions about the cause of illness, thereby providing some insights into how the categories of natural and supernatural […]
Translations