Beyoncé is out here reaching milestones once again!
The Times and France 24 recently reported that Queen Bey is among the 40 individuals to be included in the Larousse dictionary, with her Louisiana Creole heritage getting a nod in her entry. In the dictionary, Beyoncé is listed as a proper noun and described as an “American singer of R&B and pop.” According to the publication, Beyoncé is one of several French and foreign figures added to the 2024 edition of the Petit Larousse Illustré, which was published in 1905.
So, how did Beyoncé manage to make this accomplishment? Let’s take a second to break it down. A jury comes together and drafts a list of about 150 words and people who are big in French-speaking circles. Additionally, the head of dictionaries and encyclopedias at Larousse, Carine Girac-Marinier, revealed to the French magazine Le Point that a lot of the new words “reflect concerns, developments or strong movements this year.” Girac-Marinier also mentioned that it’s important for these selected individuals to match the “values of Petit-Larousse.” And with Beyoncé recently breaking barriers, it’s no wonder that she was awarded the honor.
Now, Beyoncé is no stranger to leaving such a significant mark. Back in 2004, “Bootylicious” was officially recognized in the Oxford English Dictionary as “(of a woman) sexually attractive,” and it was all thanks to Beyoncé writing the Destiny’s Child banger with the same name.
“I wrote the song, but I wish there was another word I could have come up with if I was going to have a word in the dictionary,” Beyoncé said at the time.
Nevertheless, actress Cate Blanchett, NBA star LeBron James, and “Oppenheimer” film director Christopher Nolan have also made the cut and will have their names included into the dictionary.
