French Expression of the Day: Bouc émissaire
You might recognise this French expression from its English equivalent, which has a similar meaning and shares the same biblical origins.
Why do I need to know bouc émissaire?
You will definitely come across this French expression a lot, from news reports and political debates to everyday conversations.
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What does it mean?
A bouc émissaire, roughly pronounced book eh-miss-air (listen here), describes someone who is blamed for a problem, mistake or failure, often unfairly, so that other people can avoid taking responsibility. In English, the equivalent word would be “scapegoat”.
The French expression combines bouc, meaning “male goat”, and émissaire, which is related to the idea of sending something or someone away.
The expression has been used in French since the 17th century, but its origins go back much further. It comes from the Bible, specifically the Book of Leviticus. The text describes a ritual in which a high priest selects a male goat to atone for the sins of the people of Israel. During a ceremony, he places his hands on the animal’s head, symbolically transferring the people’s sins to it. The goat is then sent into the wilderness, where it is left to wander alone.
Today, the expression is very common in everyday French. It can be used at work, in politics, or in family life whenever one person is blamed for something that is not entirely their fault.
Use it like this
Il a été désigné comme le bouc émissaire de cette affaire. – He was made the scapegoat in this affair.
Le gouvernement cherche un bouc émissaire pour détourner l’attention de ses propres erreurs. – The government is looking for a scapegoat to divert attention from its own mistakes.
Dans cette équipe, c’est toujours Paul qui sert de bouc émissaire quand quelque chose tourne mal. – In this team, Paul is always the one who gets blamed when something goes wrong.
Examples in the French press
Procès Maradona : la défense dénonce un « bouc émissaire » et plaide l’innocence du médecin (Le Figaro) – Maradona trial: the defence claims he is being used as a ‘scapegoat’ and pleads the doctor’s innocence
Suspect interpellé pour l’incendie de la mairie de Limoges : son avocat regrette un «bouc émissaire idéal» (Libération) – Suspect arrested in connection with the fire at the Limoges Town Hall: his lawyer laments that he is an ‘ideal scapegoat’
Violences et pillages du 17 octobre : Laurent Nuñez, le bouc émissaire idéal ? (Le Point) – Violence and looting on October 17th: is Laurent Nuñez the perfect scapegoat?
