Coquelicot
/ˌkɒk(ə)ˈliːkɒt/noun
A bright red poppy, especially the common corn poppy.
Did you know?Coquelicot is a French word that originally referred to the wild corn poppy, and its exact earlier history is uncertain, but it likely developed from a dialect word for a cock’s comb because of the flower’s scarlet, jagged shape.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
French
coquelicot
“A name for the red poppy or a bright red color associated with it.”
Late Medieval French
French
coquerico / coquelico
“An imitative or dialectal form linked to a rooster’s crow or comb, likely influencing the flower name.”
Old French
French
coq
“Cock, rooster.”
Latin
Latin
gallus
“Cock, rooster.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰel-
“To call, shout, or cry out.”