énigmatique

Forms

énigmatique (plural énigmatiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin aenigmaticus, from Ancient Greek αἰνιγματικός (ainigmatikós), a derivative of the noun behind énigme.^[2][1] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Rey give the Late Latin word the sense “in an enigmatic way”, from aenigma.^[3][4][5] The GLLF calls it a learned derivative of the French noun;^[6][1] Wiktionary also notes that it can be analysed as the noun with the suffix -ique.^[6][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is songes oenigmatiques “enigmatic dreams” in a 14th-century treatise Des Songes (Vatican manuscript), cited in Godefroy's Complément;^[2][5] the Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and the GLLF date it to the 13th century.^[3][4][6]

Semantic evolution

The adjective is rare before the 16th century.^[2][5] Littré quotes Montaigne: nature n'est rien qu'une poesie ainigmatique (“nature is nothing but an enigmatic poem”).^[7] In the sense “containing a riddle” it is a learned word; by extension it came to mean “hard to understand or interpret” (1864), and it is said of a secretive person whose behaviour is hard to explain.^[5][6] English enigmatic (1640s) was taken directly from Late Latin.^[8]

Timeline

• 14th century – Songes oenigmatiques appears in the treatise Des Songes.^[2]
• 1488 – The adverb énigmatiquement appears in the Mer des histoires.^[2][5]
• 16th century – Montaigne writes of une poesie ainigmatique.^[7]
• 1864 – Littré records the sense “mysterious, hard to fathom” of a person.^[6][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Containing an enigma, or obscure like one: un message énigmatique.^[4][2]
2. Hard to understand or interpret, mysterious: Elle a répondu par un sourire énigmatique.^[4][1]
3. Of a person: whose character or behaviour is inscrutable.^[4][6][7]

Word family

• énigmatiquement

Related words

• énigme
• Latin aenigmaticus
• English enigmatic

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com