autographe

Forms

autographe m (plural autographes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek αὐτόγραφος (autógraphos, “written with one's own hand”),^[2][3][4][5] formed from αὐτός (autós, “self”) and γράφω (gráphō, “to write”).^[3][6] Wiktionary and the Wiktionnaire take it through Latin autographum or autographus, from the Greek neuter αὐτόγραφον (autógraphon, “a writing in one's own hand”).^[1][7] In this word the element -graphe has a passive sense, “written”.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1580, in L. Joubert, as an adjective meaning written in the author's own hand.^[3][9][2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective is used of a letter, manuscript or will written by its author's own hand.^[8][6] As a noun it came to mean a letter, document or signature written by a famous person, collected by enthusiasts; in modern use it is above all the signature a celebrity gives an admirer.^[8][7] The noun is now more common than the adjective, and more common than the derivatives autographie (1800) and autographier (1829).^[4][9] English took autograph from French: Etymonline dates the sense “a person's signature” to 1791 and an earlier sense “author's own manuscript” to the 1640s.^[10]

Timeline

• 1580 – First recorded, in L. Joubert.^[3][9]
• 1791 – English autograph “signature”, from French, is recorded.^[10]
• 1800 – The derivative autographie appears.^[9]
• 1829 – Autographier appears.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Written in the author's own hand: une lettre autographe.^[4][6][11]

Noun

1. A text written by hand by a famous person: une collection d'autographes.^[4][8]
2. A celebrity's signature given to an admirer, an autograph.^[8][7]

Word family

• autographie
• autographier

Related words

• graphique
• Ancient Greek αὐτόγραφος (autógraphos)
• English autograph

Usage notes

Larousse warns against confusing it with autobiographique, “about the writer's own life”, and autographique, “relating to autography”, the printing process.^[11]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
8. ^ a b c d e 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
9. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
11. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)