Reynard

/ˈreɪ.nɑrd/ noun

Definition

A clever fox, often used as a character name in fables and stories representing trickery and cunning.

Etymology

From Old French Renard, derived from Germanic roots meaning 'counsel' and 'hard.' The name became so associated with foxes through medieval literature that it became a common word for any clever or deceitful fox.

Kelly Says

Reynard became so famous through the 12th-century epic 'Roman de Renart' that his name basically replaced the regular word for fox in many languages—a character so memorable he changed vocabulary itself!

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