kouign (Breton)
Where does "kouign" come from?
The Breton word 'kouign' traces its origin back to the Latin 'cuneus,' which meant a wedge or wedge-shaped object. This term was borrowed into older French dialects as 'cuigne,' initially describing shapes, before eventually evolving to refer to the round, wedge-like shape of a cake or brioche.
Full etymology tree
- kouign (Breton), 'cake, bun, brioche'
- borrowed *cuigne (Old French)
- derived coin (Old French)
- inherited cuneus (Latin), 'wedge, wedge shape'
- borrowed γωνιος (gṓnios) (Ancient Greek)
- inherited cuneus (Latin), 'wedge, wedge shape'
- derived coin (Old French)
- borrowed *cuigne (Old French)
Ancestors
- cuneus (Latin)
Descendants and derived words
- kouign-amann (Breton)
- kouign-erc'h (Breton)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris