Dau"phin (?), n. [F. dauphin, prop., a dolphin, from L. delphinus. See Dolphin. The name was
given, for some reason unexplained, to Guigo, count of Vienne, in the
12th century, and was borne by
succeeding counts of
Vienne. In 1349, Dauphiny was
bequeathed to Philippe de Valois,
king of France, on condition that the heir
of the crown should always hold the title of
Dauphin de
Viennois.]
The title of the eldest
son of the king of France, and heir to the crown. Since the revolution of 1830, the title has
been discontinued.
Hear it pronounced