armistice

Pronunciation

• IPA: /aʁ.mis.tis/^[1]

Forms

armistice m (plural armistices)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin armistitium (“a halt of arms”) (1335), a diplomatic Latin word,^{[2][3][1][4][5]} formed from Latin arma (“weapons”) and an element related to statiō (“standing still”) or sistō (“to stop”),^[2][4][1][6] on the model of words such as sōlstitium (“solstice”),^[2][1] iūstitium (“suspension of the courts”)^[3][7] or interstitium (“interval”).^[4][8] The same Latin word gave Italian armistizio and Spanish armisticio; German Waffenstillstand is a translation of it.^[3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Richelet and the Académie record it in 1680 for a suspension of hostilities;^[2][4][8] it was proposed to replace suspension d'armes or trêve, and at first criticized.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Rare in the classical language, the word became feminine in the 18th century, perhaps by confusion with amnistie, before returning to the masculine at the end of the century.^[2][4][9] It spread in the 19th century, and above all with the armistice of 11 November 1918; since then l'Armistice in France first of all means the end of the First World War and its anniversary.^[2][8] The distinction in international law between an armistice and peace made it an institutional word; figuratively it is a truce in any quarrel.^[2][7]

Timeline

• 1335 – Medieval Latin armistitium.^[2]
• 1680 – First recorded (Richelet, Académie), masculine.^[4][2]
• 1762 – Feminine in the Académie.^[4]
• late 18th century – Masculine again.^[4][2]
• 11 November 1918 – The armistice ending the First World War.^[2][8]

Meanings

Noun

1. An armistice, an agreement between warring sides to suspend hostilities.^[8][6]
2. L'Armistice: the anniversary of the armistice of 1918, on 11 November.^[8]
3. (figurative) A truce in a quarrel.^[7]

Related words

• arme
• trêve
• English armistice

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 25, 242a
6. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette