mignon

Meanings

Adjective

• Small and cute; pretty in a delicate way; dainty.

Noun

• A cute or pretty person; a dandy; a pretty child.
• One of the court favourites of Henry III of France.

Origin

• From French mignon, from Middle French mignon ("lover, darling, favourite"), from Old French mignon ("dainty, pleasing, gentle, kind"), from Frankish *minnjo ("love, friendship, affection, memory"), from Proto-Germanic *minþijō, *mindijō, from Proto-Indo-European *men-, *mnā-. Cognate with Old High German minnja ("love, care, affection, desire, memory"), Old Saxon minnea ("love"). More at mind. Compare also minion and Dutch minnen ("to love").