marteau

English

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

marteau (plural marteaux)

1. A postiche curl.
   • 1886 April 1, “Fashionable Coiffures, and the Care of the Hair”, in Myra's threepenny (mid-monthly) journal (and childrens bazaar)., page 120:

     A wreath of wild roses, without foliage, crosses the top of the head in front and under the roll of the first marteau;

   • 1891, R. Barry Blackburn, Art, Society, and Accomplishments, page 162:

     An easy mode of dressing the hair for powder is to part it across the head from ear to ear, turning the front over a high cusion, making the back into a long, loose chignon, with a few marteaux or rolled curls behind the cushion. Sometimes the roll in front is replaced by a series of marteaux placed diagonally .

   • 2003, Penny Delamar, The Complete Make-up Artist, page 163:

     Swathes: Made from two marteaux, sewn end to end. They are used for encircling the head.

   • 2012, Patricia Baker, Wigs and Make-up for Theatre, TV and Film, page 211:

     Long hanging ringlets were popular and were made using switches, pin curls and marteaux (postiche hair pieces).

French

Alternative forms

• martel (archaic)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French marteau m, from a back-formation from Old French marteaus (ca. 1140), plural of martel, from Late Latin martellus, from martulus, variant form of marculus, diminutive of Latin marcus, or from malleus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maʁ.to/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

marteau m (plural marteaux)

1. a hammer used for pounding
2. a machine tool that pounds
3. a hammer-shaped tool used to hit something, such as a gavel
4. a rapper; a door knocker
5. (music) a piano or dulcimer hammer
6. (anatomy) the malleus
7. (athletics) a throwing hammer
8. (technical) a hammer with bas relief marks used to create imprints on wood, leather etc.
9. (curling) the advantage of throwing the last stone
10. (clockmaking) the part of a clock that strikes the bell

Hyponyms

Tool for pounding or striking

• asseau
• besaiguë
• boucharde
• châsse
• ferratier
• maillet
• mailloche
• masse
• massetter
• matoir
• merlin
• rustique
• smille

Derived terms

Derived terms

• écraser une mouche avec un marteau
• entre le marteau et l’enclume
• marteau à réflexes
• marteau d’armes
• marteau-pilon
• marteau-piolet
• marteau-piqueur
• requin-marteau

Related terms

Related terms

• martelage
• martèlement
• marteler
• marteleur
• se mettre martel en tête

Adjective

marteau (plural marteaux)

1. (dated, informal) crazy; deranged

Further reading

• “marteau”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• amateur