adorable

Forms

adorable (plural adorables)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin adōrābilis (“worthy of adoration”),^[2][3][4][5] a derivative of adōrō (“to worship”) found from Apuleius in the 2nd century and in Christian Latin (Cassiodorus, after 540).^[2] Rey allows that in the sense "worthy of being adored" (1611) it may also be from French adorer + -able.^[6][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first, isolated record is in the Ovide moralisé (1291–1328), in encens adorables, where it means “bearing adoration”, of incense.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The sense "worthy of adoration" is recorded by Cotgrave in 1611, and "venerable" in 1690.^[2][6] In the 17th century it followed the extended uses of adorer, meaning "worthy of being loved" (1640), a word of the précieux, and in polite society "worthy of high esteem".^[6][7] The hyperbolic sense "exquisite, perfect" grew in the 19th century, first of people and their qualities and then of things (1845).^[6][4] English borrowed adorable in the 1610s for "worthy of worship"; its weakened sense "delightful" is recorded from 1710.^[8]

Timeline

• 1291–1328 – Encens adorables in the Ovide moralisé.^[2]
• 1610s – English adorable is borrowed.^[8]
• 1611 – Cotgrave glosses it “worthie, or fit to be adored”.^[2]
• 1640 – It means “worthy of being loved”.^[6]
• 1660 – The adverb adorablement appears.^[6]
• 1690 – It means “venerable”.^[6]
• 1845 – It is used of things, “exquisite, perfect”.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (religion) Worthy of adoration, of God or his attributes.^[2][7][5]
2. Worthy of passionate love.^[7][4]
3. (hyperbolic) Extremely charming, delightful: un chiot adorable.^[7][9][1]

Word family

• adorablement

Related words

• adorer
• adoration
• adorateur
• Latin adōrābilis
• English adorable

Usage notes

Littré notes that the adjective could come before its noun only when the noun is not a monosyllable, or is a monosyllable beginning with neither a vowel nor a mute h.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)