cerf-volant

== French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /sɛʁ.vɔ.lɑ̃/ === Etymology 1 === From cerf (“deer”) +‎ volant (“flying”, present participle of voler, "to fly"), because it is winged, with mandibles that resemble a deer's antlers. ==== Noun ==== cerf-volant m (plural cerfs-volants) stag beetle Synonym: lucane === Etymology 2 === Possibly from Old French serpe (“serpent, dragon”) +‎ volant (“flying”), converging with cerf-volant due to the similar pronunciation and appearance. ==== Noun ==== cerf-volant m (plural cerfs-volants) kite (toy) (geometry) kite ===== Derived terms ===== cervolisme cervoliste === Usage notes === Often used in puns because it is a homophone of cerveau lent (“slow brain”). === Further reading === “cerf-volant”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012