chauffeur

From the french word for 'heater'.

Originally a type of thief... They broke into people's houses, and tortured them by burning their feet in the fireplace until they told where their valuables were.

Later it was applied to stokers of steam engines, and later, of steam driven automobiles.

Today rich people hire people to drive their cars for them, and rich people like fancy french words like 'chauffeur' better than english ones like 'driver'.

But they almost never use steam driven cars, or let the chauffeurs torture them with hot coals... Go figure.

Chauf`feur" (?), n. [F., lit., stoker.]

1. [pl.] (F. Hist.)

Brigands in bands, who, about 1793, pillaged, burned, and killed in parts of France; -- so called because they used to burn the feet of their victims to extort money.

2.

One who manages the running of an automobile; esp., the paid operator of a motor vehicle.

© Webster 1913