cacophonie

Forms

cacophonie f (plural cacophonies)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek κακοφωνία (kakophōnía, “unpleasant voice or sound”),^[2][3][1][4] from κακόφωνος (kakóphōnos, “having an unpleasant voice or sound”), a compound of κακός (kakós, “bad”) and φωνή (phōnḗ, “voice, sound”).^[2][3][1] The TLFi cites the Greek noun from Demetrius of Phalerum.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1587, in Ronsard, in the strict sense of a sequence of sounds that offends the ear.^[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

The word entered French as a term of poetics and grammar for a jarring meeting of sounds, letters or syllables, a fault of style.^[3][6] From 1732 it was used in singing and music,^[2] and more widely for a confused mixture of voices and noises; by analogy it is also used of a confused medley of different things.^[3] The adjective cacophonique is recorded from 1806.^[3]

Timeline

• 1587 – Ronsard uses it of sounds that offend the ear.^[2][3]
• 1732 – The Dictionnaire de Trévoux records it in singing and music.^[2]
• 1806 – The adjective cacophonique appears.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A meeting or repetition of sounds or syllables that is unpleasant to the ear; the opposite of euphonie.^[7][8][9]
2. A cacophony: a confused, jarring mixture of noises, voices or instruments.^[7][2][9]
3. (figurative) A confused medley of different things.^[3]

Word family

• cacophonique

Related words

• euphonie
• Ancient Greek κακοφωνία (kakophōnía)

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 396a
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b 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
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)