Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “papillon” come from?

papillon (French) comes from Latin papilio, from Proto-Indo-European pal- — to fly; to shake, swing; to feel, touch, shake.

papillon (French): butterfly; someone brilliant, versatile and...

Definitions

  1. butterfly; someone brilliant, versatile and...

Ancestry of “papillon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpapiliobutterfly, moth; Soul of a dead person; tent
2Proto-Indo-Europeanpal-to fly; to shake, swing; to feel, touch, shake

Words derived from “papillon”

  • papillon
  • papillote
  • en-papillote
  • papillote
  • papillote
  • papilionacé
  • papillonner
  • παπιγιόν
  • papyon
  • papion
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pal- →