aromate

Forms

aromate m (plural aromates)^[1] Old French aromat, a form in use until the 17th century and still in Furetière (1690).^[2][3][4] Anglo-Norman spellings include aromaz and aromanz.^[5]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin aromatum, a Medieval Latin derivative of Latin arōma, arōmatis (“spice”).^{[3][6][7][8][9]} The Académie instead takes it from Medieval Latin aromata, the neuter plural of the classical noun.^[10] The Latin word is from Ancient Greek ἄρωμα (árōma).^[1][6][8] The same Latin word gives arôme.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Rutebeuf, in the 13th century, writes Tu iez la verge de fumée D'aromat remis en ardure (“you are the rod of smoke of aromatic spice set alight again”).^[2][11] The Anglo-Norman Dictionary has aromat as early as the third quarter of the 12th century, for a fragrant ointment or balm.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In Old and Middle French an aromat was a fragrant ointment or a fragrant composition of plants.^[5][12][13] The word long covered perfumes such as incense and myrrh and medicines as well as seasonings; in modern use it means above all a herb or spice used in cooking.^[7][14][10] The form aromat lasted until the end of the 17th century.^[2][3]

Timeline

• Third quarter of the 12th century – Aromat in Anglo-Norman.^[5]
• 13th century – Rutebeuf writes aromat.^[2][3]
• 16th century – Paré speaks of waters drawn from aromates.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière still records aromat.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. An aromatic plant substance used to season food: a herb or spice, a condiment.^[7][15][14]
2. A fragrant substance used in medicine or perfumery, formerly also in embalming.^[14][7][10]

Related words

• arôme
• aromatique
• aromatiser
• épice
• Ancient Greek ἄρωμα (árōma)

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, 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 c Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
9. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 25, 291a
10. ^ a b c Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
11. ^ Tobler, Adolf; Lommatzsch, Erhard (1925–2002), Altfranzösisches Wörterbuch, 11 vols., Berlin / Wiesbaden / Stuttgart: Weidmann / Steiner, p. 1:542
12. ^ Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
13. ^ Godefroy, Frédéric (1881–1902), Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle, 10 vols., Paris: Vieweg / Bouillon
14. ^ a b c 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
15. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)