enfler

Forms

enfler^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French enfler, inherited from Latin īnflō (“to blow into, to inflate”).^[2][3][1][4] The Latin verb is formed from in- and flō (“to blow”),^[3][5][6] which Rey links with Indo-European words whose imitative initial Proto-Indo-European *bʰl- expresses blowing and swelling.^[3]

Cognate with Romanian umfla, Italian enfiare, Occitan enflar, Catalan inflar, Spanish hinchar and Portuguese inchar.^[7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The late 10th-century Passion already uses it transitively, “to make swell”: cui una sopa enflet lo cor.^[2][9]

Semantic evolution

From 1121–1134 (Philippe de Thaon) the verb is used of swelling from illness, and in 1160–1174 Wace has it swell with anger and anguish.^[2][3] A figurative sense “to make proud” is gone today.^[3] It meant “to become pregnant” about 1330.^[3] From 1534 it meant to make a river rise, a sense kept in intransitive use.^[3] The sense “to fill with air” (1538) has become dated.^[3][7]

Figurative uses grew in the 16th century: Marot writes enfler son stile in 1532, “to make grander than it is”; padding a work with needless detail followed in 1585, and swelling an account or expenses in 1723.^[2][3][9] The past participle enflé has meant “jealous”, and as a familiar noun (1749) a fool.^[3][2]

Timeline

• c. 980 – First recorded in the Passion.^[9][2]
• 1121–1134 – Philippe de Thaon uses it of a swelling caused by illness.^[2][3]
• About 1330 – Means “to become pregnant”.^[3]
• 1532 – Marot writes enfler son stile.^[2]
• 1538 – Robert Estienne records the sense “to fill with air”.^[2][9]
• 1723 – Savary des Bruslons uses it of swelling an account.^[2]
• 1749 – Enflé is a familiar word for a fool.^[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive, dated) To inflate with air: enfler ses joues.^[7][6]
2. (transitive) To make something grow larger, to swell: rain swelling a river.^[7][10]
3. (transitive) To make a part of the body swell.^[7][10]
4. (transitive) To make a voice or sound louder: enfler sa voix.^[7][10]
5. (transitive, figurative) To exaggerate or overstate.^[7][10]
6. (intransitive) To swell up, as a limb does.^[11][1]

Word family

• renfler
• enflure
• désenfler
• renflement

Related words

• inflation
• gonfler
• souffler
• Latin īnflō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 672a
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
9. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)