minou (French)
Where does "minou" come from?
The French term 'minou' originated as a variant of 'minet', a diminutive word for a cat. Over time, while primarily used as an affectionate term for a kitten, the word also evolved in informal speech to carry suggestive meanings or serve as a term of endearment for a darling companion.
Full etymology tree
- minou (French), 'kitty, pussy, a small cat'
- inherited minet (Middle French)
Descendants and derived words
- broute-minou (French)
- minou (Louisiana Creole)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris