singe (French)
Where does "singe" come from?
French 'singe' descends from Latin 'sīmius', meaning 'ape' or 'monkey', and the Latin word is linked to 'sīmia'[1][3]. Latin 'sīmia' came from 'sīmus', meaning 'snub-nosed', which traces back to Ancient Greek 'σῑμός' (sīmós), so the animal was named for its flat nose[4]. The word passed through Old French 'singe'[2] and Middle French 'singe' before reaching modern French[1]. Over time French also used it figuratively for a 'foolish or mischievous man', a 'shrewd man', a 'hierarchical superior', and even 'food', turning a word for a primate into a label for people and social roles.
Open questions
- The figurative senses of French 'singe', such as 'shrewd man', 'hierarchical superior', and 'food', are listed as definitions but the etymology sources do not explain how or when these meanings developed. [1]
- The Greek origin of Latin 'sīmus' is given in a single source, and the link between the Latin and Greek forms rests on that one account. [4]
Full etymology tree
- singe (French), 'monkey'
- inherited singe (Middle French)
- inherited singe (Old French), 'monkey (animal)'
- inherited simius (Latin), 'ape, monkey'
- derived simus (Latin), 'snub-nosed'
- derived σιμός (simós) (Ancient Greek), 'snub-nosed, flat nosed'
- derived simus (Latin), 'snub-nosed'
- inherited simius (Latin), 'ape, monkey'
- inherited singe (Old French), 'monkey (animal)'
- inherited singe (Middle French)
Ancestors
- singe (Old French)
- simius (Latin)
Descendants and derived words
- ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces (French)
- désespoir des singes (French)
- désespoir du singe (French)
- grand singe (French)
- malin comme un singe (French)
- singer (French)
- singerie (French)
- singe savant (French)
Related words
Sources
- singe (French) - Wiktionary
- singe (Old French) - Wiktionary
- simius (Latin) - Wiktionary
- simia (Latin) - Wiktionary
Updated October 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris