décalcomanie

Forms

décalcomanie f (plural décalcomanies)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French décalquer + -manie,^{[2][1][3][4][5]} the second element going back to Ancient Greek μανία (manía, “madness”).^[6] The TLFi derives it from the stem of the verb.^[2] Rey calls it a badly formed word.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The GLLF gives the first record as 1840, in Mme de Girardin.^[7][3][4] The TLFi has about 1862, from Larousse's 19th-century dictionary, and notes a record of about 1850 according to Gay.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It names the process of transferring images onto a smooth surface and, above all, by metonymy, the image meant to be transferred.^[5][2] Littré defined it as a fashion or craze for tracing.^[8] The Surrealist painters used the term for a stain of ink or paint pressed between two sheets.^[9]

Timeline

• 1840 – Mme de Girardin uses décalcomanie.^[7][5]
• c. 1862 – Larousse's dictionary records it.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A process for transferring coloured images onto porcelain, glass, paper or another surface.^[2][4][9][6]
2. An image transferred in this way, a decal.^[2][4][6]
3. (painting) In the Surrealists' décalcomanie sans objet préconçu, an image made from ink or paint squashed between sheets.^[9]

Related words

• calquer
• calque
• décalque

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)