épargner

Forms

épargner^[1] Old French esparigner (about 1100), esparnier (about 1120), espargnier, espargner (about 1155, Wace); épargner from the 17th century.^[2][3][4][5]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Frankish *sparanjan (“to treat with indulgence”).^[2][3][6][5] The Frankish verb was formed on Proto-Germanic *sparôn (whence Old High German sparōn (“not to kill”) and German sparen), probably under the influence of another Frankish verb, *waidanjan, the source of gagner.^[2][3][6][4] The verb is already found in the 8th-century Reichenau Glosses, rendering Latin “he did not spare”.^[2][1] Wiktionary relates it to English spare.^[1] Littré still thought the origin doubtful, hesitating between the German verb and Latin parcō (“to spare”).^[7]

Cognate with Old Occitan esparnhar, Italian risparmiare (with ⟨m⟩ by influence of the preceding ⟨p⟩) and Walloon spârgnî.^[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) esparigner means to spare someone's life, not to kill.^[2][3][7]

Semantic evolution

About 1120 the verb also meant to treat with leniency.^[2][3] In the early 12th century the idea of keeping a reserve appears: to use something sparingly (1121–1134, Philippe de Thaon), and about 1200 to save up, put by money.^[2][3] The reflexive s’épargner (about 1167) meant to spare oneself and now survives mainly in the negative.^[3] From 1580 it meant to use one's efforts or words with restraint, and Montaigne wrote épargner quelque chose à quelqu’un, to spare someone something, in 1595.^[2][3][4] The noun épargne “savings” was formed in the 12th century.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Esparigner “to spare the life of” in the Chanson de Roland.^[2][3]
• c. 1120 – Esparnier “to treat with leniency”.^[2][3]
• 1121–1134 – Philippe de Thaon uses it for using something sparingly.^[2][3]
• c. 1200 – The sense “to save up”.^[2][3]
• 1595 – Montaigne writes épargner quelque chose à quelqu’un.^[2]
• 17th century – The spelling épargner.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To spare, treat with leniency or mercy; to leave untouched: La tempête a épargné le village.^[8][2]
2. To let live, not to kill.^[8][2]
3. To save money, to put some aside instead of spending it.^[2][1]
4. To use something sparingly, to economize on it.^[4][7]
5. Épargner quelque chose à quelqu’un: to spare someone something unpleasant.^[2][1]
6. Ne pas s’épargner: not to spare oneself, to spare no effort.^[3][7]

Word family

• épargne

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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 c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert