chausse

Forms

chausse f (plural chausses)^[1] Old French chauce, plural chauces.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French chauce, inherited from Vulgar Latin *calcea, a feminine formed from Latin calceus (“shoe”).^[2][3][4] This form is found in medieval Latin about 800.^[3] The Latin noun, first a shoe worn by kings and patricians, is derived from calx (“heel”);^[3][5] Rey thinks both may be of Etruscan origin.^[3][5] Early on, the feminine form came to mean a legging covering both foot and leg.^[3]

Cognate with Italian calza, Catalan calça, Spanish calza and Portuguese calça.^[6][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in the plural, chauces “leggings”, and in the singular in the Charroi de Nîmes (mid-12th century).^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In the plural, chausses were close-fitting leg coverings of cloth or wool, the ordinary lower garment of men in the West until breeches came in; they replaced the older braies.^[3][2] The garment was divided into bas-de-chausses (1538), the source of bas “stocking”, and haut-de-chausses (1546).^[3][2] Phrases such as tirer ses chausses “to leave” (1611) and porter les chausses, an old form of porter la culotte (1656), show the garment's place before they fell out of use.^[3]

The singular spread by likeness of shape: a filter bag (14th century), the apothecaries' chausse d'Hippocras (1552), and in the 16th century the shaft of a latrine.^[2][3][7] After naming an ornament about 1250, it was used from 1740 for the strip of cloth worn on the left shoulder by members of the University.^[2][3] All these senses have aged.^[3] Its diminutive chaussette has stayed in everyday use.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1150 – Chauces “leggings” in the Charroi de Nîmes.^[2]
• c. 1250 – Used for an ornament.^[2][3]
• 1398 – Chausses means close-fitting breeches.^[2]
• 14th century – The singular names a filter bag.^[2][3]
• 1538 – Bas-de-chausses appears.^[3]
• 1546 – Rabelais uses hault de chausses.^[2]
• 1552 – Rabelais has chausse d'Hippocras.^[2]
• 1740 – The Académie records the university shoulder piece.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (historical, chiefly in the plural) hose: a man's garment covering the body from the waist to the knees or the feet.^[5][1]
2. (technical) A cone-shaped cloth filter, used to strain thick liquids.^[5][7]
3. (fishing) The funnel-shaped throat of certain nets and creels.^[2][8]
4. (dated) A strip of cloth trimmed with ermine worn on the left shoulder over the gown by university members on ceremonial occasions; épitoge.^[2][7]
5. (heraldry) A reversed chevron whose point meets the point of the shield.^[2][5]
6. Chausse de mailles: mail leggings worn with a coat of mail.^[8][3]

Word family

• chaussette

Related words

• chausson
• chaussure
• chausser
• caleçon
• Latin calceus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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 n o p q r Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)