Oseille

« Oseille » est un mot de la langue française qui désigne d’abord une plante potagère au goût acide, généralement du genre Rumex, utilisée en cuisine.

"Oseille" is a French word that primarily denotes a sour-tasting garden plant, typically of the genus Rumex, used in cooking. In familiar and slang usage, the term also means "money" or "cash," giving rise to popular expressions such as "avoir de l'oseille." The word is attested in French dictionaries with both botanical and colloquial senses.

Botanical meaning

"Oseille" refers to a perennial plant of the Polygonaceae family, valued for its acidic leaves, which are commonly cooked and used in soups and sauces. Dictionaries describe it as a garden vegetable consumed in various culinary preparations.

Familiar and slang meaning

In colloquial French, "oseille" signifies "money" or "currency." This usage is widely recorded in contemporary dictionaries and appears in everyday speech, as in the phrase "avoir de l'oseille" (to have money).

Etymology and evolution

Lexicographic sources trace the word to Late Latin *acidula*, influenced by Classical Latin *oxalis*. The term evolved from its botanical sense to a slang term for money, reflecting a shift in meaning over time.

Expressions and usage

Slang has produced several phrases involving "oseille," including "avoir de l'oseille" and "la faire à l'oseille." Some of these expressions are older or less common, but they illustrate the word's richness in popular French.