bienvenue

From Old French bienvenue; literally bien (“well”) +‎ venue (“come, coming”); compare also bienvenu (without the -e). Presumably a calque of an Old Frankish term, from Proto-Germanic *wiljakwumô (“a welcome guest or arrival”), from which many modern Germanic forms descend, as English welcome.

Its use in the sense “you’re welcome” is recent, due to influence from English; English “you’re welcome” dates from early 20th century, French usage correspondingly later.

• IPA^(key): /bjɛ̃.v(ə).ny/

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bienvenue f (plural bienvenues)

1. welcome

bienvenue

1. welcome!

   Bienvenue à Paris!

   Welcome to Paris!

2. (Quebec) you're welcome (as an answer to thank you)

   Merci pour le party!

   Bienvenue.

   Thanks for the party!

   You're welcome.

bienvenue

1. feminine singular of bienvenu

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