enrôler

Forms

enrôler^[1] Old French enroller (about 1190) and enrouler (13th century); enrôler from 1464.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French enroller, formed from Old French en- + rolle with the verb ending.^[1][5][6] The modern spelling (1464) was remade after rôle;^[2][4] the Old French variant enrouler was a homonym of enrouler “to roll up”.^[2] That noun is from Medieval Latin rotulus (“roll”), a diminutive of rota (“wheel”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence's Vie de saint Thomas (1174–1176), meaning to enter something in a roll, specifically the rolls of the Exchequer.^[5][3][2]

Semantic evolution

From “to enter in the rolls” the verb came to mean “to inscribe on a roll” (13th century) and in particular on the rolls of the army (early 16th century).^[2][3] By analogy it meant “to win someone over to a group or party” (1553).^[2][3] The reflexive s'enrôler “to enlist” is recorded from 1536,^[5] and in the 17th century it took the senses “to have oneself entered on the army's rolls” (1636) and “to join a group” (1690).^[2] The noun enrôlement (1559, earlier as enroulement in 1285) followed the same course.^[2][6]

Timeline

• 1174–1176 – Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence uses it for entering in a roll.^[5]
• 13th century – The variant enrouler appears.^[2][3]
• 1285 – The noun enroulement “enrolment” is recorded.^[2][6]
• 1464 – The spelling enrôler appears.^[2][4]
• 1536 – S'enrôler is used for enlisting in the navy or army.^[5]
• 1553 – Used for bringing someone into a group or party.^[2][3]
• 1660 – Enrôleur is recorded in its modern sense.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. (dated) To enter on an official roll or register.^[5][7]
2. To enlist in the army, to recruit: enrôler des volontaires.^[8][5][9]
3. (figurative) To bring someone into a group or party: il a enrôlé ses voisins dans l'association.^[8][3][10]
4. S'enrôler: to enlist, to join the army or a group.^[8][7][10]

Word family

• enrôlement
• enrôleur

Related words

• rôle
• enrouler
• contrôle
• Medieval Latin rotulus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)