bédane

French

Alternative forms

• bec-d’âne, bec d’âne

Etymology

Univerbation of bec +‎ d’ +‎ âne, literally “donkey's muzzle”, though it is possible that âne here originally represents Old French ane (“duck”), from Latin anas, thus “duck’s beak”. The pronunciation /be/ is the Middle French preconsonantal form of bec, later displaced by the prevocalic/pausal pronunciation /bɛk/, but preserved in idioms (cf. béjaune).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /be.dan/

• Audio

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Noun

bédane m (plural bédanes)

1. a type of chisel used in carpentry