enflammer

Forms

enflammer^[1] Old French enflamer, with the variant enflamber, after flambe.^[2][3][1] Littré also quotes 15th-century enframbé.^[4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French enflamer, inherited from Latin inflammō (“to set on fire, excite”), remade after flamme;^[2][5][3][1] the Latin verb is formed with in- on flamma (“flame”).^[2][6] The TLFi gives another analysis: it is from French en- + flamme + -er.^[7][8] The double ⟨mm⟩ is a Latinizing spelling.^[1] Littré explains the variant enflamber by a /b/ inserted after /m/.^[4]

Cognate with Italian infiammare, Occitan enflamar, Catalan enflamar and Spanish inflamar.^[9][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in the Passion of the late 10th century, in the sense “to set on fire”, of the Holy Spirit: si'ls enflament cum fugs ardenz “and sets them aflame as with burning fires”.^[7]

Semantic evolution

As in Latin, the verb was used figuratively from about 1130 (Eneas) for filling someone with ardour, mostly in the reflexive from 1640;^[2][6] in the classical period it meant especially to inspire someone with love.^[2][4] The reflexive s'enflammer “to catch fire” is recorded in 1690, and the sense “to colour with a fiery light” in 1748.^[2][6]

The medical sense “to bring into a state of inflammation” also dates from 1690 (Furetière).^[7][2] English inflame goes back to the Old French verb, in the mid-14th century, first in the figurative sense.^[10]

Timeline

• late 10th century – First record in the Passion.^[7]
• c. 1130 – The figurative sense “to fill with ardour” appears in Eneas.^[2][6]
• mid-14th century – English borrows it as enflaumen.^[10]
• 1549 – Renflammer is first recorded.^[3]
• 1640 – Figurative s'enflammer is recorded.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records s'enflammer “catch fire” and the medical sense.^[7][2]
• 1748 – Voltaire uses it for colouring with a fiery light.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To set on fire, ignite.^[11][7][1]
2. To colour or light up vividly, as a blaze lights the horizon or a blush the cheeks.^[11][6]
3. (figurative) To fill with ardour, to inflame a passion, a debate or a crowd.^[11][1]
4. (medicine) To cause inflammation in.^[7][4]
5. (reflexive) S'enflammer: to catch fire, also figuratively, to become fired with enthusiasm.^[1][2]

Word family

• enflammement
• désenflammer
• renflammer

Related words

• flamme
• flamber
• inflammation
• Latin inflammō
• English inflame

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ 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
8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 601a
9. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
11. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert