▪ I. ‖ mignon, a.
(miɲɔ̃)
Also (with fem. reference) 6 mignone, 7–9 mignonne; and see minion a.
[F. mignon, -onne adj. and n.]
A. adj. Delicately formed; prettily small or delicate.
| 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) L vj, My mignone Isabel. [1668 Dryden Evening's Love vi, That sigh too, I think, is not altogether disagreeable; but something charmante and mignonne.] 1772 Mrs. Sarah Scott Test Filial Duty II. 59 Salvator Rosa's wildest designs are mignonne and finical to some places in this neighbourhood. 1859 G. Meredith R. Feverel xxxvii, A mignonne beauty. 1873 Pater Stud. Hist. Renaiss. 42 Bright small creatures of the woodland, with arch baby faces and mignon forms. 1886 M. Corelli Rom. two Worlds i, Her pretty mignonne face and graceful figure. |
B. n. A pretty child.
| 1827 Souvenir I. 71/2 (Stanf.) Little mignons, not three feet high, were there, arrayed like puppets. |
Hence † ˈmignon v. trans., to treat tenderly; † ˈmignonness, over-delicacy, effeminacy.
| 1530 Palsgr. 245/1 Mignyonnesse, mignotise. 1597 Daniel Philotas Apol., Wks. (Grosart) III. 183 For though the affection of the multitude, (whom he did not mignion)..discerned not his ends..: Yet [etc.]. |
▪ II. mignon
see minion n.