joujou

French

Etymology

Diminutive form of jouet.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʒu.ʒu/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Audio (Paris):(file)
  • Homophone: joujoux
  • Rhymes: -u

Noun

joujou m (plural joujoux)

  1. (childish) a toy; a plaything
    • 1857, Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary [][1], Paris: Michel Lévy Frères:
      Charles, le lendemain, fit revenir la petite. Elle demanda sa maman. On lui répondit qu'elle était absente, qu'elle lui rapporterait des joujoux.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

Only seven words in French ending in -ou have their plurals in -oux instead of -ous: bijou, caillou, chou, genou, hibou, joujou, pou.

Further reading

West Makian

Etymology

A reduplication of jou (politeness morpheme), from Ternate jou (lord).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /d͡ʒo.u.ˈd͡ʒo.u/

Noun

joujou

  1. the hand, arm
    Synonyms: ia, kamma (informal)

References

  • Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours[2], Pacific linguistics (as jowjow)