[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/bijou/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [B](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/b/) / bijou

# bijou

adjective (bijou); noun (a bijou, bijoux — rare)

«bijou» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (UK, mostly estate agents' language) Bijou means small and elegant, used about a house or flat; it is often a euphemism for "very small". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#m1)
2. (rare noun) A bijou is a small jewel or a pretty trinket; it is the French word for jewel. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday British life, house adverts say "a bijou cottage" or "bijou flat" to make a tiny home sound charming. Readers often understand it as "too small". In stories it can sound posh or funny. Phrases: bijou flat, bijou residence, bijou cottage.

### Examples

- The advert said "bijou flat", which meant it was tiny. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#x1)
- They live in a bijou cottage by the sea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#x2)
- "Bijou" is a nice way of saying the house is small. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#x3)
- The café is bijou but very cosy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#x4)
- Grandma keeps a little bijou on a chain. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#x5)
- The "bijou residence" turned out to be one room. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/#x6)

### Note

Pronounced "BEE-zhoo". From French. Mostly British. It is a euphemism: estate agents use it to avoid saying "small". Plural of the noun: bijoux.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «bijou» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bijou/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«bijou» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/bijou.html) on Mova free.