demi-heure

Forms

demi-heure f (plural demi-heures)^[1] Old French demie hure, in the plural demies hures.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is a compound from French demi- + heure.^[3][2][4][1] In 1647 Vaugelas ruled that the compound should be written ⟨demi-heure⟩ and not ⟨demie heure⟩, while ⟨une heure et demie⟩ keeps the feminine.^[3] demi was nevertheless still treated as an adjective that agreed with its noun throughout the 17th century.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears about 1120 in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire: Duze demies hures ço ne sunt que sis hures “twelve half hours make only six hours”.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its meaning, half of an hour, thirty minutes.^[3][5] The modern hyphenated form is recorded from 1610^[2][5] and is found in Guez de Balzac before 1654.^[4][6] Until the 19th century it could be used without an article (en demi-heure), a construction the TLFi now marks as dated.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1120 – Demies hures appears in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire.^[3][2]
• 1610 – The form demi-heure is recorded.^[2][5]
• 1647 – Vaugelas prescribes the spelling demi-heure.^[3][6]
• Before 1654 – Guez de Balzac uses the word.^[4][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. Half an hour, thirty minutes: nous partons dans une demi-heure, la cloche sonne toutes les demi-heures.^[3][5][1]
2. (dated) Used without an article: il ne lui fallut pas plus de demi-heure.^[3]

Related words

• demi
• heure

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF