colure

Forms

colure m (plural colures)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin colurus, from Ancient Greek κόλουρος (kólouros, “truncated, dock-tailed”).^[2][1][3][4] In Greek the plural of the adjective, with “circles” understood, named these circles of the celestial sphere.^[2] Littré analyses the Greek adjective as κόλος (kólos, “docked, mutilated”) and οὐρά (ourá, “tail”), and reports Proclus's explanation that the circles were so called because some of their parts cannot be seen.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded about 1360 in the works of Nicole Oresme, for either of the two great circles of the celestial sphere.^[3][4][2] A French translation of John of Salisbury's Policraticus dated 1372 also has it.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its astronomical meaning and belongs to learned use.^[2][4] Littré names the two circles the colure of the solstices and the colure of the equinoxes, which together mark the four seasons of the year.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 1360 – First recorded in Nicole Oresme.^[3][4]
• 1372 – Used in a French translation of John of Salisbury's Policraticus.^[2]
• 1796 – Dupuis writes of passing the colure of the solstices through Leo and Aquarius.^[2]
• 1866 – Hugo writes of l'intersection des colures in Les Travailleurs de la mer.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (astronomy) Either of the two great circles of the celestial sphere that cross at right angles at the poles, one passing through the solstices, the other through the equinoxes.^[2][4][5]
2. Colure des solstices, colure des équinoxes: the colure of the solstices, the colure of the equinoxes.^[5]

Related words

• English colure

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette