# French etymology 'tisonner:' 'to poke'

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-etymology-tisonner-to-poke/956532>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 23, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-etymology-tisonner-to-poke/956532 "2021-12-23T14:25:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-etymology-tisonner-to-poke/956532/1 "2021-12-23T14:25:09Z")

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This came up in a game where a \*fire poker rack was labeled as ‘tisonniers,’ or ‘pokers.’ Doing a Google search on the French words for ‘to poke’ came up with quite a list, most of which had various meanings, but included ‘tisonner,’ ‘to poke.’ So what is the etymology behind ‘tisonner.’

\*Is there a word for this in English? The rack/stand that holds the poker and shovel for the fireplace?

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-etymology-tisonner-to-poke/956532/2 "2021-12-23T14:34:31Z")

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[Wiktionary](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/tisonner) traces the etymology back to _tison_, which means a smouldering piece of wood.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-etymology-tisonner-to-poke/956532/3 "2021-12-23T14:35:05Z")

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Cool, thanks. Good enough for me.

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**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2021, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-etymology-tisonner-to-poke/956532/4 "2021-12-23T23:34:57Z")

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> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#):
>
> Is there a word for this in English? The rack/stand that holds the poker and shovel for the fireplace?

In English the poker, shovel and brush are collectively the fire irons, and I would also use this for the assemblage of all three items on a rack or stand.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-etymology-tisonner-to-poke/956532/5 "2021-12-24T16:42:37Z")

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Don’t forget tongs and toasting fork!