canin

Forms

canin (feminine canine, masculine plural canins, feminine plural canines)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin canīnus (“of a dog”), which was used especially in anatomy for the pointed teeth that stand out in the dog.^{[2][3][4][5][1]} The Latin adjective is derived from canis (“dog”).^[3][4][5] The learned word displaced the Old French chienin (12th century) or chenin, formed on chien,^[3][4][6] which Bloch and Wartburg found still in use in the Allier.^[4]

Cognate with Occitan canin, Catalan caní, Spanish canino and Italian canino.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, about 1390, is the phrase appetit canin “ravenous hunger” in Évrart de Conty's Problèmes d'Aristote.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective qualifies what is proper or relating to the dog, and faim canine “ravenous hunger” continues its first use.^[3][8][7] From the Latin anatomical use, dent canine named a pointed tooth between the incisors and premolars, and by ellipsis the feminine canine became a noun from 1541.^[3][2] A 17th-century definition quoted by Le Robert records ris canin for a laugh that draws back the lips, beside faim canine and dent canine.^[9] Littré notes that in his day the feminine alone was in ordinary use.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 1390 – Appetit canin in Évrart de Conty.^[2][5]
• 1541 – Canine as a noun for the tooth, in Canappe.^[2][3]
• 1546 – Charles Estienne uses the same noun.^[2]
• 16th century – Paré writes of teeth nommées canines, sharp and strong as a dog's.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to or proper to the dog, canine: race canine, exposition canine.^[10][2][11]
2. Faim canine: a ravenous, very pressing hunger.^[10][8][7]
3. (anatomy) Dent canine: a canine tooth (now usually canine); also fosse canine, the hollow above it on the upper jaw.^[2][7]

Related words

• canine
• chien
• canicule
• Latin canis

References

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