chrétien

Forms

chrétien (feminine chrétienne, masculine plural chrétiens, feminine plural chrétiennes)^[1] Old French christian (842), christiien (881), cristiien and crestien (1174–1187).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin christiānus (“Christian”), an irregular derivative of Christus (“Christ”), which is from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós, “anointed”).^[2][3][4][5] The TLFi calls it an adaptation of the Latin word, Bloch and Wartburg a Frenchified form,^[2][4] while Wiktionary has it inherited.^[1] The Latin noun is recorded from the year 64, under Nero, in Tacitus, and the adjective in Tertullian.^[2][3] The Greek word translates the Hebrew for Messiah in the Bible, and comes from χρίω (khríō, “to anoint”).^[6]

The same Latin word gave crétin, a word of the Valais in Switzerland.^[6][1] Cognate with Italian cristiano, Spanish cristiano, Occitan crestian and Romanian creștin.^[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Serments de Strasbourg (842) have it as an adjective in pro christian poblo, of a person who professes the religion of Christ;^[2][7] the Séquence de sainte Eulalie (about 881) uses it of what belongs to Christians.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

As a noun “a Christian” it is found about 1050 in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[2][3] By extension it took the general sense “man, woman, person” in Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval (1174–1187).^[2][3] Cotgrave records a further sense in 1611.^[8] The kings of France bore the title le Roi Très Chrétien.^[6][7] Parler chrétien was familiar for “to speak plainly”,^[7] and the derivative chrétiennement (1546) had the figurative sense “clearly” in parler chrétiennement (1566).^[3] The word is also part of bonchrétien, the name of a variety of pear (15th century), whose origin is not established.^[3][4]

Timeline

• 842 – Christian in the Serments de Strasbourg.^[2][4]
• c. 881 – Christiien in the Séquence de sainte Eulalie.^[2]
• c. 1050 – The noun in the Vie de saint Alexis;^[2][3] chrétienté also first appears.^[2][3]
• 1174–1187 – Crestien “man, person” in Chrétien de Troyes.^[2][3]
• 15th century – Bonchrétien, a pear.^[4][3]
• 1546 – First record of chrétiennement.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Professing the faith in Jesus Christ, Christian: le monde chrétien.^[6][9][2]
2. Of or relating to Christianity: la foi chrétienne, l'ère chrétienne.^[6][9][8]
3. In keeping with Christian charity: cela n'est pas chrétien.^[7]
4. Le Roi Très Chrétien: the title of the kings of France.^[6][2]

Noun

1. A Christian, a person who professes Christianity.^[9][2][7]
2. (dated) A person, a human being.^[2][3]

Word family

• chrétienté
• chrétiennement

Related words

• Christ
• christianisme
• crétin
• Latin christiānus

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 654b
6. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
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. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)