alkermès

Forms

alkermès (masculine noun).^[1][2] Middle French alkermes.^[1][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Spanish alquermes (recorded since 1555), which is from Arabic القرمز (al-qirmiz, “the cochineal”), the Arabic word with the article.^[1][4][5] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and the Wiktionnaire give the Spanish word as alkermes.^[6][2][5] The TLFi traces the Arabic word further to a Sanskrit word of the same meaning.^[1] The Old French aukairrais, a liqueur made with kermes (13th century), was probably taken straight from Arabic.^[1]

The same Arabic word, without the article, gave kermès.^[1][7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Rabelais's Tiers Livre (1546) has graine de alkermes, the scarlet grain or kermes formed by an insect on certain oaks.^[1][6]

Semantic evolution

In 1575 Ambroise Paré used it in medicine, for a stimulant preparation made with kermes: confection d'alkermes.^[1][3] In old pharmacy it named an electuary taken for the stomach,^[1][5] and it was also used as an adjective (confection alkermès, élixir alkermès).^[1][3]

The GLLF dates from 1797 (Gattel) the sense of a liqueur, named after the kermes used to dye it red.^[9]

Timeline

• 13th century – Old French aukairrais, a liqueur made with kermes.^[1]
• 1546 – Rabelais uses alkermes for the kermes grain.^[1][6]
• 1555 – Spanish alquermes is recorded.^[1]
• 1575 – Ambroise Paré uses it for a medicinal preparation.^[1][2]
• 1797 – Gattel records the liqueur.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A red liqueur flavoured with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and other spices, coloured with kermès.^[2][4][1]
2. (old pharmacy) A stimulant electuary made with kermes, formerly taken for the stomach.^[1][5]

Related words

• kermès
• carmin
• cramoisi

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
2. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
5. ^ a b c d Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse