compagnonnage

Forms

compagnonnage m (plural compagnonnages)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French compagnon + -age.^[2][3][4] Compagnon is from Late Latin compāniō, formed from cum (“with”) and pānis (“bread”) on the model of a Germanic word meaning “one who eats bread with another”.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1719, in Helyot's Histoire des ordres religieux, for the period during which a worker had to work as a journeyman.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The word belongs to the language of the workers' associations of journeymen, very active under the Ancien Régime.^[6] The sense “association of journeymen of a trade” is recorded in the Dictionnaire de Trévoux in 1752,^[2][5] and the general sense “relationship of companions, companionship” appears in Michelet in 1833.^[5] The adjective compagnonnique followed in the early 20th century.^[6] The French Wiktionary also records its use in gardening for an association of plants in which one helps the other grow.^[4]

Timeline

• 1455 – Compagnon is used of a worker who has finished his apprenticeship.^[2]
• 1719 – Compagnonnage names the period of work as a journeyman.^[2][3]
• 1752 – The Dictionnaire de Trévoux records the sense “association of journeymen”.^[2][5]
• 1833 – Michelet uses it for companionship.^[5]
• early 20th century – The adjective compagnonnique appears.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. An organization of journeymen and craftsmen of a trade, devoted to professional training and mutual aid: les traditions du compagnonnage.^[7][8][9]
2. (historical) The period during which a worker who had finished his apprenticeship had to work for a master before becoming a master himself.^[9][7][2]
3. Companionship, the relationship between companions: un long compagnonnage entre deux peintres.^[2][5][4]
4. (gardening) The association of plants of which at least one favours the other.^[4]

Related words

• compagnonnique
• compagnon
• compagne
• compagnie
• copain

References

1. ^ a b 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
5. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)