dénué (French)
Where does "dénué" come from?
The French adjective 'dénué' is derived from the verb 'dénuer' and shares a common linguistic ancestor with the word 'dénudé'. Both terms trace back to a sense of being stripped bare, reflecting an evolution from physical exposure to the metaphorical state of lacking or being devoid of something.
Full etymology tree
- dénué (French), 'lacking (in), devoid (of)'
- deverbal dénuer (French), 'to deprive'
Cognates and doublets
- dénudé (French)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris