Ghislain

== French == === Alternative forms === Ghyslain === Etymology === From Latin Gislenus (variant Ghislenus), the Latinized name of Saint Ghislain (a seventh-century anchorite in Hainaut), from Proto-West Germanic *Gīslīn, a hypocoristic personal name derived from *gīsl (“hostage, pledge”) + the diminutive suffix *-īn. Cognate with German Geisel (“hostage”). The insertion of the h originated as a Picard and Walloon orthographic device to indicate the preservation of the hard IPA(key): /ɡ/ sound before a front vowel, preventing the regular palatalization to IPA(key): /ʒ/ that occurred in Central French (compare the standard French variant Guislain). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɡi.lɛ̃/, /ʒi.slɛ̃/ === Proper noun === Ghislain m (feminine Ghislaine) a male given name, masculine of Ghislaine ==== Related terms ==== (female given names): Ghislaine, Giselle, Gisèle (male given name): Gilbert