Etymologically
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ensemble

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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

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