blonde

Where does the word "blonde" come from? It comes from Frankish blund, passing through Old French before entering English (medieval).

Blonde’s story begins in Frankish: blund meant “light-colored, yellowish.” A Germanic word for a light, yellowish color. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as blond. Adopted the Germanic color term for fair hair. It reached English by medieval as blonde. English kept the French feminine '-e' for women, as in 'blond' and 'blonde'. Today, blonde means having light-colored or golden hair.

1. Stage 1 · Frankish · medieval blund "light-colored, yellowish", a Germanic word for a light, yellowish color.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval blond "fair-haired", adopted the Germanic color term for fair hair.
3. Stage 3 · English · medieval blonde "having light-colored hair", English kept the French feminine '-e' for women, as in 'blond' and 'blonde'.