déshonneur

Forms

déshonneur m (plural déshonneurs)^[1] Old French deshonor, desenor, deshonur, deshouneur.^[2] Like honneur, it was feminine in Old French.^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French dés- + honneur.^[3][4][1][5] Picoche classes the base noun among the semi-learned words; it is from Latin honor (“honour”).^[6]

Cognate with Old Occitan deshonor, Spanish deshonor and Italian disonore.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It appears in the Chanson de Roland (1080, or about 1100 as the TLFi dates the text), meaning loss of honour: Sur un somier l'ont mis a deshonor (“they put him on a pack horse in dishonour”).^[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

From the start it meant the loss of honour and the state of a person who has lost it.^[7] In 1425 it named insulting words or acts, and about 1485 the state of a woman who had let herself be seduced.^[7] In 1587 François de La Noue uses faire déshonneur à, to be unworthy of, and Molière has se faire déshonneur (1671).^[8]

The phrase prier or presser quelqu'un de son déshonneur, to ask of someone what would dishonour him, and figuratively what displeases him, has gone out of use.^[7][2]

Timeline

• 1080 – It appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[4][8][7]
• 1425 – It names insulting words or acts.^[7]
• c. 1485 – Used of a woman who has been seduced.^[7]
• 1587 – François de La Noue uses faire déshonneur à.^[8]
• 1671 – Molière uses se faire déshonneur.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. dishonour, disgrace: the loss of honour: Il préféra l'exil au déshonneur.^[9][3][10]
2. Something that brings dishonour, a shame: Ce n'est pas un déshonneur de demander de l'aide.^[9]
3. (classical) faire déshonneur à: to be unworthy of.^[8][2]

Related words

• honneur
• honnête
• Latin honor

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b c 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 466b
6. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
7. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale