Etymologically
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direct

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Pronunciation

Forms

direct (feminine directe, masculine plural directs, feminine plural directes)[1] In 1426 the phrase de ligne direcque “directly” is found in Douai.[2] Anglo-Norman also had directe, direk and dirrect.[3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dīrēctus (“straight; without detour”), the past participle of dīrigō (“to direct, steer”), the source of diriger.[2][4][5][6][1][7] In Late Latin it also meant “without intermediary”.[2] The verb is formed with dis- on regō (“to guide, rule”).[8] The inherited outcome of the Latin word is droit.[1][5]

Cognate with Old Occitan direct, Spanish directo and Italian diretto.[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

Godefroy's supplement has a 13th-century text, and the TLFi cites a manuscript of 1303–1334; the word was rare before the 16th century.[2][6][5] The Anglo-Norman Dictionary has it from 1292 with the senses “direct, directly” and, of descent, “in a straight line from father to son”.[3] Palissy (1563) uses direct in the concrete sense “in a straight line”.[2]

Semantic evolution

The abstract sense “immediate, without intermediary” appeared first in law: in feudal law en directe (1450, short for seigneurie), and action directe (about 1481), a phrase taken up recently in the context of terrorism.[4][2] Genealogy has ligne directe from 1501, and the sense spread into common use in 1581, often of a frank person.[4][2] Special uses followed in astronomy (1680, planètes directes), in rhetoric (harangue directe, 1680, Richelet) and in finance: contribution directe (1790, Marat) and impôts directs (1829).[2][4]

In the 20th century it became a noun in boxing, un direct (1904, direct du gauche, 1908).[4][2][10] In radio and television en direct qualifies a programme broadcast live, as opposed to en différé (1938).[4][11][10] Littré already records train direct, a train taken to its destination without changing carriages.[9]

Timeline

  • 13th century – First record, according to Godefroy's supplement.[2][6]
  • 1292 – Earliest Anglo-Norman record.[3]
  • 1450 – En directe in feudal law.[2]
  • c. 1481 – Action directe, in Coquillart.[2]
  • 1501 – Ligne directe in genealogy.[2]
  • 1563 – Direct in Palissy.[2]
  • 1680 – Harangue directe and planètes directes, in Richelet.[2]
  • 1790 – Contribution directe, in Marat.[2]
  • 1904 – Un direct in boxing.[4][10]
  • 1938 – En direct in broadcasting.[4][11]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. straight, without a detour: le chemin le plus direct, un train direct, a non-stop train.[10][9]
  2. (figurative) Without circumlocution, frank: une question directe, un homme très direct.[10][4]
  3. Immediate, without an intermediary: vente directe, en ligne directe, in direct descent.[10][2]
  4. (finance) Impôts directs: direct taxes.[2][4]
  5. (grammar) Complément d'objet direct: a direct object, discours direct, direct speech.[10][8]

Noun

  1. (boxing) A straight punch: un direct du droit.[10][2]
  2. (broadcasting) En direct: live, le direct, live broadcasting.[10][1]

Word family

  • directement

Usage notes

In colloquial French direct is also an adverb, “straight, directly”, as in je rentre direct à la maison;[1] Wiktionary takes it from directement.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s 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 c Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 90a
  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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF