Etymologically
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clique

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Pronunciation

Forms

clique f (plural cliques)[1]

Etymology

It is the noun of Old French cliquer (“to make a noise”), from the imitative stem “klikk-” for a short, sharp sound (see cliquetis, déclic).[2][3][4][5] The TLFi thinks the sense “coterie” more probably alludes to the chatter that goes with intrigue than to Old French “clique” “latch”, for the closed nature of such circles.[2] Littré took it to be the same word as claque.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gilles li Muisis (early 14th century) has it for a slap, Guillaume de Digulleville (mid-14th century) for a group of people.[4][7]

Semantic evolution

Ménage (1694) recorded it for a set of people, and it is now a familiar, pejorative word for a band of people united to scheme against others (lui et sa clique).[2][4][8] Army slang of the 1880s used it for the bugler and the military band (1883), then for the drums and bugles of a band (1886).[2] The plural cliques “clogs” (20th century) survives in prendre ses cliques et ses claques, to pack up and go.[4] English took clique in 1711.[9]

Timeline

  • Early 14th century – “A slap”.[4]
  • Mid-14th century – A group, in Digulleville.[4]
  • 1694 – “Society of people”, in Ménage.[2]
  • 1711 – English clique.[9]
  • 1883 – Military slang: a bugler.[2]
  • 1886 – Drums and bugles of a band.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (familiar, pejorative) A clique, gang, set: il est venu avec toute sa clique.[8][10]
  2. The drums and bugles of a military band.[8][10]

Word family

  • déclic
  • clisser
  • cliquer
  • cliquetis
  • claque
  • English clique

Usage notes

Prendre ses cliques et ses claques: to pack up and leave.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 782a
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)