Fameuse
/feɪˈmjuːz/noun
An obsolete English adjective meaning famous or renowned, borrowed from French.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor, fama, meant not only reputation but also rumor or public report—suggesting that fame has always carried both glory and dangerous gossip.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰeh₂-
“To speak or say; the reconstructed root behind several words connected with speech.”
Classical Latin
Latin
fama
“Report, rumor, reputation, or renown.”
Classical Latin
Latin
famosus
“Famous, renowned, or widely talked about; literally, full of fama.”
Old French
Old French
fameus / fameuse
“Famous or renowned; the feminine form is fameuse.”
Middle English
English
fameus / fameuse
“Famous or celebrated, used as a borrowing from French.”
Modern English
English
fameuse
“An obsolete or rare form meaning famous.”