allécher

Forms

allécher^[1] Old and Middle French alechier, alekier, and allicher (1538).^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French alechier, probably inherited from Vulgar Latin *allecticō, formed on allectō (“to attract, entice”), the frequentative of alliciō (“to attract”).^[3][2][4][5] The Latin verb is a compound of ad- and laciō (“to entice”).^[2][6] This etymon is supported by Spanish alechigar (“to soften, tame”), according to Bloch and Wartburg and Rey,^[4][2] but the TLFi notes that Corominas derives the Spanish verb from lecho (“bed”).^[3] Another proposed etymon, *allicicō, which would also explain a Sardinian verb, remains possible for the TLFi but is less likely for Bloch and Wartburg.^[3][4] The TLFi rejects a blend with the verb for “to lick” as a needless detour, and Littré already noted that the Italian and Latin forms show that the word does not come from lécher, although popular etymology now connects the two.^[3][6][4]

Cognate with Italian allettare, which continues the classical frequentative.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in the Roman de Renart about 1175, already has the transitive sense “to draw someone with something tasty or tempting”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Old and Middle French also used the reflexive s'alechier “to take delight” (13th–15th centuries), and the verb took on the shade “to attract with the promise of a pleasure”.^[2][3] In Old French the past participle was used as an adjective meaning “yielding to temptation”, that is, “sinful”; that use died out in Middle French.^[2]

The present participle alléchant (1495) fell out of fashion from the mid-17th century but came back, and since the mid-19th century it is used above all of food, then figuratively.^[2][3] The noun allèchement (about 1300) was common in the 16th and early 17th centuries and has since aged.^[2][4]

Timeline

• c. 1175 – First recorded, transitive, in the Roman de Renart.^[3][2]
• 13th century – The past participle is used as an adjective meaning “sinful”.^[2]
• 1295 – The noun allèchement appears.^[4]
• 14th century – Reflexive s'alechier “to take delight” is recorded.^[3]
• 1495 – The adjective alléchant appears.^[3][2]
• 1538 – The form allicher is recorded.^[2]
• 1669 – Alléchant is considered old-fashioned.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To lure or tempt by appealing to the taste or smell: l'odeur du pain chaud allèche les passants.^[7][3][6]
2. (figurative) To entice, to attract with the hope of something pleasant or profitable: alléchés par une offre.^[7][8]

Word family

• allèchement
• alléchant

Related words

• délecter
• Latin alliciō

Usage notes

The verb is mostly used in the passive and the past participle.^[2] La Fontaine's line Maître Renard, par l'odeur alléché is the best-known example.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 327b
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse