aubaine
English
Etymology
From French aubain (“an alien”) (as in droit d'aubaine), from Old French aubene, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Latin alibi (“elsewhere”) or from Frankish *alibanus (“of or belonging to another ban”).
Noun
aubaine
- (historical, law) The inheritance of goods from a foreigner who died in a country where he was not naturalised.
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /o.bɛn/
- Rhymes: -ɛn
Etymology 1
From aubain (“non-naturalised foreigner”). Later meanings are an extension of the legal sense.
Noun
aubaine f (plural aubaines)
- the inheritance of goods belonging to a foreigner who died in a country where they have not been naturalised (the doctrine of droit d'aubaine)
- godsend, boon, windfall
- Synonyms: pain bénit, don du ciel
- bargain, steal
- Synonym: bonne affaire
Adjective
aubaine
- feminine singular of aubain
Further reading
- “aubaine”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.