commandement

Forms

commandement m (plural commandements)^[1] Old French comandement.^[2][1] Anglo-Norman also has cumandement and comaundement.^[3]

Etymology

It is formed from French commander + -ment.^[4][5][6] The verb is from Vulgar Latin *commandō, a remaking of Latin commendō (“to entrust, to recommend”) after mandō (“to order”); from Caesar on, the Latin verb could already mean “to give an order”.^[7]

Cognate with Old Occitan comandamen, Italian comandamento and Old Spanish comandamiento.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050) has it for an order given, or the act of giving an order.^[4][8] The Chanson de Roland has the formula a vostre comandement “at your command” about 1100.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In religious language it named, by 1174–1176, a rule of conduct given by God (les comandementz Deu), whence the ten commandments.^[4][8] In the army it became a brief spoken order for drill (1690, Furetière, also in seamanship), as in à mon commandement.^[4][8]

A legal sense, a formal demand to pay before seizure, is recorded by Robert Estienne in 1549.^[4][8] At the beginning of the 17th century d'Aubigné uses it for the power of command of a military chief (homme de commandement).^[4][8] Modern French also uses it for the higher military authorities as a body.^[9][10] English commandment came through Anglo-Norman.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1050 – The Vie de saint Alexis has it for “order”.^[4]
• c. 1100 – A vostre comandement in the Chanson de Roland.^[4]
• 1174–1176 – Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence uses it for God's commandments.^[4]
• 1549 – Estienne records the legal demand for payment.^[4]
• 1616–1620 – D'Aubigné uses it for military command.^[4]
• 1690 – Furetière records it for drill and seamanship orders.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. An order or injunction; the act of commanding.^[6][9]
2. (military) A brief spoken order for a drill movement: à mon commandement.^[6][10]
3. The power or right to command;^[10][9] prendre le commandement, to take command, and poste de commandement, a command post.^[10][9]
4. (military) The higher military authorities.^[9][10]
5. (religion) A rule of conduct laid down by God or a Church: les dix commandements, the Ten Commandments.^[6][10]
6. (law) A bailiff's writ calling on a debtor to pay before enforcement.^[6][9]

Related words

• commander
• commande
• commandeur
• commandant

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d e f Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b c d e f Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)