The term bidet has an interesting history. Originally, in the early seventeenth century, it referred to a specific type of small horse. Over time, the modern definition evolved, likening the use of a bidet to straddling a small horse. The word itself is of French origin, as the horse breed, now extinct, was native to northwestern France. Its name is derived from the French verb for “trot”, bider. The etymology of this verb is uncertain; while some linguists have suggested Celtic roots, this theory has been largely discredited. There is also an unconfirmed hypothesis that bider may have stemmed from the Middle French word rabider, meaning “to go quickly”. Interestingly, in the sixteenth century, bidet was also used to describe a type of small dagger, although the connection to the horse breed remains unclear.
