centenaire

Forms

centenaire m (plural centenaires)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin centēnārius (“of a hundred, containing a hundred”),^[2][3][4][5] derived from centum (“hundred”) through its distributive centēnī.^[3] The Latin adjective is found in Varro, of a number, was used of age, “a hundred years old”, from Saint Jerome, and was used as a noun in the Vulgate (Genesis 17:17).^[2][3] Wiktionary names quintal as its doublet.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1370–1371, in Jean Le Fèvre's translation of La Vieille, in nombre centenaire “a number containing a hundred”.^[2][3][5] Bloch and Wartburg give 1390.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The general sense “containing a hundred” has died out, though Littré still records nombre centenaire.^[2][3] The adjective “a hundred years old” is recorded from 1539, in the Mistère du Vieil Testament;^[2][3] Littré quotes Loysel's 16th-century maxim Possession centenaire et immemoriale vault titre, a possession of a hundred years serving as title.^[6]

As a noun for a person aged a hundred or more it is recorded in 1778 by Rey and the Petit Robert,^[3][7] in 1787 in Féraud,^[8] and in 1798 by the Académie.^[2] The sense “hundredth anniversary” is dated 1785 by Rey,^[3][7] while the TLFi and the GLLF find it first in Larousse's dictionary (1866–1867).^[2][9][8] From this sense come bicentenaire (1855 as an adjective, 1964 for the anniversary) and tricentenaire (1922).^[3]

Timeline

• 1370–1371 – Jean Le Fèvre writes nombre centenaire “a number of a hundred”.^[2]
• 1390 – The date Bloch and Wartburg give for the first record.^[4]
• 1539 – First used of a person a hundred years old.^[2][3]
• 1778 – First used as a noun for a centenarian.^[3][7]
• 1785 – First used for a hundredth anniversary.^[3][7]
• 1798 – The Académie records the noun for a centenarian.^[2]
• 1855 – Bicentenaire appears.^[3]
• 1867 – Larousse's dictionary gives the anniversary sense.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. A hundred years old or more: un olivier centenaire.^[7][2][1]
2. Very old, ancient, or lasting for a hundred years: une tradition centenaire.^[9][2]

Noun

1. A centenarian, a person aged a hundred or more.^[7][2][1]
2. A hundredth anniversary, a centenary: le centenaire de la mort d'un poète.^[7][9][1]

Word family

• bicentenaire
• tricentenaire

Related words

• cent
• centaine
• quintal
• Latin centum

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 m n 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 j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b 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 c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse