chignon

Forms

chignon m (plural chignons)^[1] Old French chaengnon (late 12th century), chaaignon and chaignon;^[2][3][4] chignon is a reshaping of 1559.^[5][2] The regional form châgnon “nape” was still used by George Sand.^[5][2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French chaengnon (“nape of the neck”), inherited from Late Latin *catēniō (“chain, bond”), derived from catēna (“chain”).^[2][5][3][6] The Petit Robert cites a Medieval Latin caeignum of 1080.^[7] How “chain” came to mean “nape” is debated: by reference to the chain of the vertebrae (Godefroy, Littré, the Robert), or, more probably, from the sense of an iron collar or chain fastened round a prisoner's neck, as Ruelle argues.^[2][5][8] Etymonline gives the Old French senses “iron collar, shackles, noose”.^[9]

The vowel /i/ comes from crossing with tignon “hair at the back of the head” (about 1500), which probably also favoured the modern sense.^[3][5][2] A variant eschignon (Amyot) was in turn crossed with échine.^[3] The word belongs to northern French, and the form châgnon still means the nape in western dialects.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

As chäengnon it is first found at the end of the 12th century in Audigier, meaning the nape of the neck.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The word meant the nape until the 17th century, often in chignon du col (Amyot, 1559) or chignon du cou, which survives in literary use.^[5][2][10] From the 18th century (1725 according to the Petit Robert, 1746 in La Morlière according to the TLFi) it was used for hair gathered up at the nape, then, as fashion changed, for a mass of hair gathered anywhere on the head.^[7][2][5] In this sense it entered phrases modelled on those with cheveu, such as se crêper le chignon “to fight” (of women).^[5][7] In slang it also came to mean the head.^[2]

English took chignon in 1783 for a knot of hair worn at the back of the neck.^[9]

Timeline

• 1080 – Medieval Latin caeignum is recorded.^[7]
• Late 12th century – Chäengnon “nape” appears in Audigier.^[2]
• 13th century – The form chaignon is found in Agolant.^[2]
• 1559 – Amyot writes chignon du col.^[2][5]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records chignon.^[2]
• 1746 – La Morlière uses it for hair gathered at the nape.^[2][11]
• 1783 – English borrows chignon.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A bun or coil of hair gathered up at the back of or on top of the head.^[7][12]
2. (dated, literary) The nape of the neck, especially in chignon du cou.^[2][10]
3. (familiar) Se crêper le chignon: of women, to fight or quarrel violently.^[7]

Related words

• chaîne
• chaînon
• tignon
• Latin catēna
• English chignon

References

1. ^ a b 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 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 502b
7. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
11. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
12. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)