événement

Pronunciation

• IPA: /e.ven.mɑ̃/^[1]
• IPA: /e.vɛn.mɑ̃/^[1]

Forms

événement m (plural événements or (archaic) événemens)^[1] Also spelled évènement, matching the pronunciation, admitted by the Académie in 1979.^[2][1] The archaic plural événemens is also found.^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation on Latin ēveniō (“to come out; to turn out; to happen”), a compound of ex- and veniō (“to come”) (see venir), on the model of avènement, which until the 16th century meant “arrival, event”.^{[3][2][4][5][6][7][1]} It replaced Middle French event (15th century), borrowed from ēventus (“outcome, event”), the source of English event.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Georges Chastellain (before 1461) has it in the broad sense “what happens”;^[3][2][4] Bloch and Wartburg date it to 1507.^[3][2][4]

Semantic evolution

From the early 16th century it meant “the outcome of a situation”, like issue and succès, and especially the ending of a play: Molière's plus triste événement and Boileau's Chaque vers, chaque mot court à l'événement.^[2][6][8] That classical value survives in phrases such as l'événement a confirmé son attente, à tout événement “at all events” has gone.^[2][8]

In its general sense it is a fact of some importance, whence heureux événement “birth”, être dépassé par les événements and l'événement du jour.^[2] In the plural it is the course of current affairs, and euphemistically les événements d'Algérie and les événements de mai 68.^[2] In statistics it is a possible outcome of a random trial.^[2] The derivative événementiel dates from 1931 or 1953.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 15th century – The older event.^[2]
• Before 1461 – “What happens”, Chastellain.^[3]
• Early 16th century – “Outcome”; the ending of a play.^[2][6]
• 1931 – événementiel.^[2]
• 1979 – The spelling évènement admitted by the Académie.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. An event, something that happens, especially something notable: un événement historique, heureux événement, the birth of a child^[8][2][1]
2. Les événements: current affairs; euphemistically, troubles, unrest.^[2]
3. (classical) The outcome of a situation; the ending of a play.^[8][6]
4. (probability) An event, a possible outcome.^[2]

Word family

• événementiel

Related words

• avènement
• éventuel
• venir
• English event

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 r Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e 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
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 252a
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert