amertume

Forms

amertume f (plural amertumes)^[1] Old French also amertune and amartume.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin amāritūdō (“bitterness”), through its accusative,^[3][4][5] with the suffix reduced as in coutume and the stem remade after amer¹.^[4][6][7] The Latin noun is derived from amārus (“bitter”).^[8][5] Latin used it in the literal sense from Varro and figuratively from Valerius Maximus.^[3]

Bloch and Wartburg note that the word is found only in French;^[4] Old French also had amerté, from Late Latin amāritās.^[4][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in the Quatre Livres des Rois (1165), is figurative: en amertume d'anmes, translating Latin in amaritudine animae, “in bitterness of soul”.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

The abstract sense came first in the records, the literal “bitter taste” following in 1267–68 in Brunetto Latini's Trésor.^[3][6] The abstract values of Old and Middle French matched those of amer, and une amertume for an offensive word or act (1549) is no longer used.^[6] The commonest modern sense, painful resentment and sadness, dates from the 15th century.^[6]

Timeline

• 1165 – Figurative use in the Quatre Livres des Rois.^[3]
• 1170–71 – Chrétien de Troyes uses it in Cligès.^[3]
• 1267–68 – Brunetto Latini uses it for a bitter taste.^[3][6]
• 15th century – The sense “resentment, bitterness of mind” becomes current.^[6]
• 1549 – Une amertume means an offensive word or act.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. A bitter taste: l'amertume du pamplemousse.^[10][11][12]
2. A disease of wines that makes them bitter.^[10][12]
3. (figurative) Lasting sadness mixed with resentment, caused by a disappointment, a humiliation or an injustice.^[10][11][12]

Word family

• amertumer

Related words

• amer¹
• merise
• Latin amārus

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ 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
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. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
12. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)