cordonner

Forms

cordonner^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French cordon + -er.^[2][3][1][4] The DHLF lists it among the derivatives of the noun, beside cordonnet (1515).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Aiol (1205–1215), meaning “to twist into a cord”, of hair.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

The verb has kept its first sense, to twist threads or hair into a cord.^[2][7] In the 16th century it could be used figuratively, as when Larivey has love cordonner its snares.^[6] Cotgrave (1611) glosses it “to twine, twist, plait, wreathe”, and the Académie (1694) gives cordonner les cheveux and cordonner de la soie.^[8][9] Later technical senses are “to raise the rim of a coin blank” in coining and “to adorn with a string course” in architecture, used by Hugo in 1842.^[2]

Timeline

• 1205–1215 – First recorded in Aiol.^[2]
• 1611 – Cotgrave glosses it “to twine, twist, plait”.^[8]
• 1694 – The Académie records cordonner les cheveux.^[9]
• 1842 – Hugo uses cordonnée of a church adorned with a string course.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To twist into a cord; to braid: cordonner du fil, cordonner une mèche.^[2][7][4]
2. (numismatics) To raise the metal along the edge of a coin blank.^[2]
3. (architecture) To adorn with a cordon or string course.^[2]

Related words

• cordon
• cordonnet
• corde
• corder

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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Godefroy, Frédéric (1881–1902), Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle, 10 vols., Paris: Vieweg / Bouillon
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Cotgrave, Randle (1611), A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, London: Adam Islip
9. ^ a b Académie française (1694), Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise, 1st ed., Paris: Coignard