confiner

Forms

confiner^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French confins + -er.^[2][3][4] The base noun is borrowed from Latin confīnēs, the plural of confīnis (“bordering”), a compound of fīnis (“limit”).^[4][5] Cognate with Occitan confinar, Spanish confinar and Italian confinare.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as confinner “to shut in” in Beuve de Hantone (about 1225–1230), though the TLFi notes that this reading is an editor's correction.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to force someone to stay within a limited space” is recorded in 1477;^[2][7][6] Commynes writes that kings, on suspicion alone, confinent souvent des gens (“often confine people”).^[2][7][6] The reflexive se confiner first meant “to be close by kinship” (1466) and later “to keep to a narrow space”.^[2][7]

From Middle French on, the verb also meant “to lie on the borders of” (1468, Commynes), hence “to adjoin” and, figuratively, “to come close to” (confiner à).^[2][7][8] The phrase air confiné “stale, unrenewed air” dates from 1880–1884.^[2] In the late 18th century Voltaire used confiner qqc. dans for “to limit something to”.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1225–1230 – Confinner “to shut in” in Beuve de Hantone.^[2]
• 1466 – Se confiner “to be close by kinship”.^[2][7]
• 1468 – Commynes uses it for “to lie on the borders of”.^[2]
• 1477 – It means “to force to stay in a limited space”.^[2][9]
• 1481 – The noun confinement is recorded.^[7]
• 1880–1884 – Air confiné is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (intransitive, with à or avec) To border on, to be next to a country or place.^[9][6][1]
2. (figurative, with à) To verge on, come close to: un zèle qui confine à la folie.^[9][8]
3. (transitive) To confine, to force someone to stay in a limited space; to relegate.^[9][6][1]
4. Se confiner: to shut oneself away, to keep to a narrow space or field.^[9][6]
5. Air confiné: stale, unrenewed air.^[2]

Word family

• confinement
• confiné

Related words

• confins
• fin¹
• Latin confīnis

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1035a
6. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert