beau

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English beau, beu, bew, bewe, from Old French beau, from Latin bellus (“beautiful”). Doublet of bello and boo. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /bəʊ/ (General American) IPA(key): /boʊ/ Homophones: bo, bow Rhymes: -əʊ === Noun === beau (plural beaux or beaus) (dated) A man with a reputation for fine dress and etiquette; a dandy or fop. Synonyms: blood, popinjay; see also Thesaurus:dandy Coordinate term: belle (dated, US, Canada) A male lover; a boyfriend. Synonyms: suitor, swain; see also Thesaurus:lover A male escort. Synonyms: callboy, party boy; see also Thesaurus:prostitute A suitor of a lady. Synonyms: courter, sparker, wooer ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === beau (third-person singular simple present beaus, present participle beauing, simple past and past participle beaued) (ambitransitive) To act as a beau (towards); to court or woo. Synonyms: put the moves on, romance; see also Thesaurus:woo === See also === beautiful === References === “beau”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. === Anagrams === Aube, aube == Aromanian == === Alternative forms === beu === Etymology === From Latin bibō. Compare Romanian bea, beau. === Verb === beau (third-person singular bea, participle biutã) to drink ==== Related terms ==== beari / beare biut biutor biuturã parabeau == French == === Etymology === Inherited from Middle French beau, from Old French biau, bel, from Latin bellus. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bo/ (18th century) IPA(key): /bjo/ Rhymes: -o Homophones: bau, baud, bauds, baux, beaux (general), bot, bots (except regionally) === Adjective === beau (masculine singular before vowel bel, feminine belle, masculine plural beaux, feminine plural belles) handsome, fine, attractive nice fair (weather) ==== Usage notes ==== To avoid hiatus, the form bel is used before masculine singular nouns that begin with a vowel or mute h. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → English: beau, Beau, belle, Belle === Noun === beau m (plural beaux) (Louisiana) boyfriend ==== Coordinate terms ==== belle blonde femme gars homme === Adverb === beau in vain === Further reading === “beau”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 === Anagrams === aube == Middle English == === Alternative forms === beu, bew, bewe === Etymology === From Old French bel, biau, from Latin bellus, from Old Latin *duenelos. Doublet of bel. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bɛu̯/ Rhymes: -ɛu̯ === Adjective === beau good, fine ==== References ==== “beau, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. == Middle French == === Alternative forms === bel === Etymology === From Old French beau, one of the variants of biau. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbo/ === Adjective === beau m (feminine singular belle, masculine plural beaux, feminine plural belles) beautiful; handsome; attractive ==== Descendants ==== French: beau == Old French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bɛ̯aw/ === Adjective === beau m (oblique and nominative feminine singular bele) alternative form of biau ==== Declension ==== == Romanian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /be̯aw/ Rhymes: -aw Hyphenation: beau === Verb === beau inflection of bea: first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive third-person plural present/imperfect indicative