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Origin of the French expression À la queue leu leu

The Local examines the linguistic origins of the French idiom à la queue leu leu, which draws its inspiration from observed wolf behaviour.

By 25 Jun 2026 · 09:00 CET Updated 25 Jun 2026 · 09:00 CET

AI disclosure: Summarised from a single named source by an AI model with editorial rules; links to the original report.

According to a report from The Local published on 25 June 2026, the French expression à la queue leu leu is rooted in the natural behaviour of wolves. The publication explains that the phrase, which describes moving in a single-file line, is derived from the way wolves walk in succession. Further details regarding the historical context of the term were discussed by the outlet in their series on French language expressions.

Source: The Local. Read the original report ↗

Source ledger

  • This brief is based on reporting by The Local.
    supports: The Local Europe