English
embonpoint
Embonpoint comes from French embonpoint ‘plumpness, stoutness’, and goes back to point ‘in good condition’.
- Frenchc. 1600–presentpoint‘in good condition’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentembonpoint‘plumpness, stoutness’
- Englishearliest quotation 1834same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Frenchc. 1600–presentpoint‘in good condition’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentembonpoint‘plumpness, stoutness’
- Englishearliest quotation 1834same form
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “Though it is six years since I have seen…”
Every English word from French point
Today it means
noun Plumpness, stoutness, especially when voluptuous.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / French point / embonpoint