biais

Etymology

Probably borrowed from Old Occitan biais, of uncertain origin. Possibly via Vulgar Latin *bigassius from Ancient Greek ἐπικάρσιος (epikársios, “athwart”), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + κάρσιος (kársios, “oblique”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bjɛ/

Noun

biais m (plural biais)

1. means, way
2. angle, aspect, way
3. (textiles) bias
4. slant, diagonal line
5. (sociology) bias

Adjective

biais (feminine singular biaise, masculine plural biais, feminine plural biaises)

1. slant, slanting

Further reading

• “biais” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).