dorer

Forms

dorer^[1] Anglo-Norman also deorer and deorrer.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French dorer, inherited from Late Latin dēaurō (“to gild”), an intensive with dē- of aurō (“to gild”), from aurum (“gold”).^[3][4][5][6] The Latin verb is found in Tertullian; the simple aurō had little life and left no trace in Romance.^[7]

Cognate with Italian dorare, Occitan daurar, Spanish dorar and Portuguese dourar.^[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Grand Robert, the GLLF and Rey date it to the Chanson de Roland (1080); the TLFi's first record is helmes dorez “gilded helmets” in the Couronnement de Louis (about 1130).^{[10][5][4][3]} The meaning was to cover with gold.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In the 13th century it was used in cooking, for glazing a tart (Du prestre qu'on porte), and for giving a golden colour more generally.^[3][5] The phrase dorer la pilule “to sugar the pill” alludes to the old pharmacists' practice of coating pills with gold;^[4][9] Littré records both the literal and the figurative use.^[4][9]

The past participle doré has been an adjective from the start;^[4] jeunesse dorée first named the young people of the rich bourgeoisie who joined the reaction against the Terror after Thermidor.^[4] As a noun doré names a sea fish (about 1300), and in Quebec French doré or dorée a freshwater fish related to the perch (1805).^[4]

Timeline

• 1080 – Recorded in the Chanson de Roland.^[10][5]
• c. 1130 – Helmes dorez in the Couronnement de Louis.^[3]
• c. 1167 – The derivative dorure appears.^[4]
• 13th century – Used for glazing a tart.^[3]
• 1322 – Redorer is first recorded.^[4][7]
• 1669 – Mordoré appears, first as more doré.^[7]
• 1752 – Dorage is first recorded.^[3][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To gild, cover with a thin layer of gold or of something that looks like gold.^[11][3][1]
2. Dorer la pilule à quelqu'un: to sugar the pill, make something unpleasant acceptable by presenting it favourably.^[11][9]
3. (literary) To give a golden colour to, as the sun does.^[11][1]
4. (cooking) To glaze with beaten egg yolk before baking, and (intransitive) to brown.^[11][1]
5. (reflexive) Se dorer au soleil: to tan.^[11]

Word family

• dorage
• doré
• doreur
• dorure
• redorer
• dédorer
• mordoré
• doroir
• surdoré

Related words

• or¹
• Latin aurum

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ 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
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 d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 25, 1025a
7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
9. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert