ensemble

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɑ̃.sɑ̃bl/^[1]
• IPA (Louisiana): [ɔ̃sɔ̃m]^[1]

Forms

ensemble^[1] Old French also had the adverb ensemblement.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin īnsimul (“at the same time, together”), an imperial Latin strengthening of simul (“together”), or a popular *insemul, remade after “semul”, the archaic form of “simul” that survived in spoken Latin, as Italian insieme and Old Spanish “ensiemo” require.^{[3][4][5][6][7]} The French and Occitan forms may come from either.^[5] “Simul” is the old neuter of similis (“like”) (see sembler, simuler).^[4][8]

Cognate with Old Occitan ensems and Catalan ensems.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1050 in the Vie de saint Alexis as an adverb, “one with the other”.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

In the sense “at once, at the same time” the adverb became archaic at the end of the 18th century, replaced by tout ensemble (1552), itself now dated.^[4] In Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and several African countries ensemble avec is used for “together with”.^[4]

The noun, first un tout-ensemble (1664–1668) in the arts for the unity of a work, came to mean the totality of the parts of a whole (1694), whence d'ensemble (1809, Lamarck) and dans l'ensemble.^[4][6] It later named a troupe of dancers, singers and musicians, a set of furniture, a group of buildings (grand ensemble, about 1954) and, in mathematics, a set (1890, translating German Menge).^[9][4][10] English borrowed ensemble as a noun in 1703.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 1050 – Ensemble in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[3]
• 1552 – Tout ensemble.^[4]
• 1668 – Tout-ensemble in the arts.^[6][4]
• 1694 – The noun ensemble “whole”.^[6][4]
• 1703 – English ensemble.^[8]
• 1809 – D'ensemble, in Lamarck.^[4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. together, one with another: vivre ensemble, aller ensemble.^[10]
2. At the same time: ne parlez pas tous ensemble.^[10]

Noun

1. A whole; the totality of the parts: l'ensemble des habitants, dans l'ensemble.^[10][4]
2. Unity, harmony of action: avec ensemble.^[10]
3. A group of musicians or performers; a set of furniture; a group of buildings: un grand ensemble.^[9][4][10]
4. (mathematics) A set: théorie des ensembles.^[10]

Word family

• ensembliste
• ensemblier

Related words

• sembler
• simultané
• Latin simul

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b c 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 k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d e 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. 4, 716a
8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert