Etymologically
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clé

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Pronunciation

Forms

clé f (plural clés)[1] Also spelled clef, Old French clef, plural clez.[2][3][1] The spelling clé was taken from the plural clés; both are now accepted.[2][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French clef, inherited from Latin clāvis (“key; bolt, bar”).[2][3][4][1] The Latin word is related to clāvus (“nail”) (see clou) and claudō (“to shut”) (see clore).[4]

Cognate with Italian chiave, Romanian cheie, Occitan clau, Spanish llave and Portuguese chave.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Chanson de Roland (about 1100) has clef for the metal instrument that opens a door.[2]

Semantic evolution

Philippe de Thaon (1115–30) uses it for what explains something, a formula for working out the movable feasts, and Wace has cles del ciel.[2] Chrétien de Troyes speaks of la clef d'amors (1181–90), what gives access; in 1268 it is a strategic position commanding a region, and la clé des champs is in a proverb collection of 1317.[2] Technical uses include the keystone of a vault (13th century), the clef in music (before 1407) and a spanner or wrench.[2][1]

Furetière (1690) records clef as a code for deciphering, and the clef of a novel.[2] À la clé “into the bargain” is from 1866–72, and clé USB names a USB stick.[5][2][1]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Clef, Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • 1115–30 – “What explains”, Philippe de Thaon.[2]
  • 13th century – Clef de la voute.[2]
  • 1317 – Avoir les clez des chans.[2]
  • before 1407 – A clef in music, Eustache Deschamps.[2]
  • 1690 – A cipher key, clef d'un roman, Furetière.[2]
  • 1872 – À la clef.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A key: la clé de la porte, fermer à clé, mettre la clé sous la porte, to shut up shop.[4][1]
  2. The key (to a problem, a mystery): la clé de l'énigme, roman à clé.[1][2]
  3. (as adjective) Key, essential: un poste clé.[1][5]
  4. A spanner, wrench: clé anglaise, clé à molette.[1]
  5. (music) A clef: clé de sol.[1][2]
  6. Clé de voûte: keystone.[1][2]
  7. Clé USB: a USB stick, (cryptography) a key.[1]
  8. La clé des champs: freedom, prendre la clé des champs, to run off.[2][1]
  • clavier
  • enclaver
  • clef
  • clou
  • clore
  • Latin clāvis

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 r s t 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF