A long, thin French bread with a crispy crust, or a rectangular cut of gemstone.
From French 'baguette' meaning 'little rod' or 'wand,' diminutive of 'bague' (rod, stick). Applied to bread in the early 20th century due to its elongated shape, and extended to jewelry for similarly shaped gem cuts.
The iconic French bread shape wasn't standardized until the 1920s, when laws regulated bread-making in France. The same word describes a conductor's baton, showing how French uses shape-based metaphors – the 'little stick' became a culinary and cultural symbol.
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