Chanson
/ˈʃæn.sɒn/noun
A song, especially a French song or a song in the French tradition.
Did you know?*Chanson* shares its ancestry with *incantation* because both ultimately descend from Latin roots connected with singing, chanting, and spoken formulas.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kan-
“To sing or make a sound; the reconstructed root behind many later singing words.”
Classical Latin
Latin
canere
“To sing, chant, or recite in a measured voice.”
Late Latin
Latin
cantio
“A song, singing, or chant; the source of the Romance forms.”
12th Century
Old French
chanson
“A song, especially a lyrical or narrative song.”
14th Century
Middle English
chanson
“A song or poem in the French style, used as a learned loanword.”
Modern English
English
chanson
“A French song, or a song associated with French popular or artistic tradition.”