pucelle

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pucele, Middle French pucele, perhaps from a Late Latin *pullicella, but the further etymology is disputed.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʊˈsɛl/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛl

Noun

pucelle (plural pucelles)

1. (archaic) A girl, a maiden; a virgin (often with reference to Joan of Arc).
   • 1608 (at the earliest), Ben Jonson, letter to John Fletcher

     Lady or pucelle, that wears mask or fan.

   • 1976, Robert Nye, Falstaff:

     Seven weeks before, Joan of Arc had ridden into Orleans. She was at the height of her strange career.…‘Maid or Witch, Pucelle or Puzzell – she is very hard to understand.’

2. (obsolete) A prostitute, a slut.

Translations

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French pucelle < Old French pucele, 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.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /py.sɛl/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

pucelle f (plural pucelles, masculine puceau)

1. maiden; virgin

   Elle n’est plus pucelle. ― She's no longer a virgin.

   la Pucelle d’Orléans ― the Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc

   • 1954, Georges Brassens (lyrics and music), “La première fille”:

     Qu’elle soit fille honnête / Ou fille de rien / Qu’elle soit pucelle / Ou qu’elle soit putain / On se souvient d’elle / On s’en souviendra / La première fille / Qu’on a pris dans ses bras

     Whether she is a respectable girl / Or a worthless girl / Whether she is a virgin / Or she is a whore / You remember her / You will remember / The first girl / Who you held in your arms

2. (military) metal regulation badge worn on the chest with insignia indicating the formation to which it belongs

Further reading

• “pucelle”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.