"fox" in seven languages
Meaningfox
Spanish
/ˈθoro/
masc.other source · uncertain (debated; perhaps from zorra 'vixen')
French
/ʁənaʁ/
masc.other source · the Germanic name Reginhart, given to the fox in the Roman de Renart
It displaced Old French goupil, from VULPĒCULAM.
Italian
/ˈvolpe/
fem.inherited
Portuguese
/haˈpozɐ/
fem.other source · of uncertain origin, perhaps from rabo 'tail'
Romanian
/ˈvulpe/
fem.inherited
Catalan
/giˈnɛw/
fem.other source · probably a Germanic woman's name given to the fox, like French renard
English
/fɑks/
native English · Old English fox
The Latin ancestor
VULPEM (nom. VULPĒS)‘fox’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
Only Italian kept VULPĒS. French readers loved the medieval tales of Renart the fox so much that his name replaced the animal's own.
English relatives: vulpine
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In a sentence
- esEl zorro se metió en el gallinero.
- frLe renard est entré dans le poulailler.
- itLa volpe è entrata nel pollaio.
- ptA raposa entrou no galinheiro.
- roVulpea a intrat în coteț.
- caLa guineu es va ficar al galliner.
- enThe fox got into the henhouse.