concours

Forms

concours m (invariable)^[1] Anglo-Norman concours, concourse.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin concursus (“a running together, meeting, rivalry”), adapted to French after cours.^[3][4][5] The Latin noun is formed on the supine of concurrō (“to run together”), the source of concourir,^[3][6] from con- and cursus (“a running, course”).^[7][8] In classical Latin it meant a crowd streaming toward one point and a meeting, in Imperial Latin also rival claims in law, and in Medieval Latin, from the early 8th century, help.^[3][4] The TLFi dates the French word to 1360–1370,^[3] which notes that Bloch and Wartburg give 1330;^[3] the Robert has about 1330.^[6] the Anglo-Norman Dictionary records it in the first half of the 14th century.^[2]

Cognate with Spanish concurso and Italian concorso.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first sense, taken from Medieval Latin, was “recourse, help”, recorded in Baudouin de Sebourc (1360–1370) and still at the end of the 14th century.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

The sense “help” was soon lost, crowded out by secours and recours.^[4] The word then followed the senses of the verb concourir.^[4] From 1572 (Amyot) it meant a gathering of many people in one place, a sense now old or literary in grand concours de peuple;^[3][9] it was used of things in the 16th century, of lines meeting in geometry in 1753, and in concours de circonstances from 1835.^[3][4]

From the idea of meeting, two senses grew apart: “cooperation, help in a joint action”, which Descartes uses in 1644, and “competition between candidates for something”, recorded by Oudin in 1660.^[3][4] From this came the school examination ranking candidates by merit, and the sporting contest.^[4] In Anglo-Norman the word meant a gathering or meeting.^[2]

Timeline

• 1360–1370 – Concours “recourse, help” appears in Baudouin de Sebourc.^[3]
• 1572 – Amyot uses it for a gathering of people.^[3][7]
• 1644 – Descartes uses it for cooperation toward a result.^[3]
• 1660 – Oudin records the sense “competition between candidates”.^[3][5]
• 1753 – The Encyclopédie uses it in geometry.^[3]
• 1835 – The Académie records concours de circonstances.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (dated or literary) A gathering of many people in one place: grand concours de peuple.^[9][3]
2. A meeting or coincidence of things: concours de circonstances, chance, lucky or not.^[10][9]
3. (mathematics) The meeting point of lines, their intersection.^[9][7]
4. Help, cooperation in an action or a work: il a prêté son concours au projet.^[10][9]
5. A competitive examination in which candidates compete for a limited number of places: concours d’entrée.^[10][11][1]
6. A competition with prizes for the best entrants or works: concours hippique.^[11][10]

Related words

• concourir
• concurrent
• cours
• Latin concursus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1016a
9. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
11. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)