Etymologically
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envoyer

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɑ̃.vwa.je/[1]

Forms

envoyer[1] Old French enveiier (about 980), enveier, envoyer from the 12th century.[2][3][1] The future enverrai was formed after that of voir.[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French enveier, inherited from Late Latin inviō (“to travel over, walk on; to reach”), formed from in- and via (“road, way”) (see voie).[4][2][5][6][1] Bloch and Wartburg note that the Late Latin verb, “to make one's way”, must early have taken the sense “to send”.[5]

Cognate with Italian inviare, Occitan enviar, Spanish enviar and Portuguese enviar.[1][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 980 in the Passion of Clermont, as enveied, in the sense “to make (someone) go somewhere”.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

In the 12th century it took the sense “to throw, hurl” (about 1165, Guillaume d'Angleterre), whence later “to deal (a blow)” (18th century), and “to have something delivered to someone” (1172, Chrétien de Troyes).[4][2] In 1694 it meant “to appoint, delegate (someone) to an assembly”.[2]

Many phrases use it to mean getting rid of someone: envoyer quelqu'un promener (1640), envoyer ad patres (1694), and envoyer balader, paître, sur les roses.[2] The slang reflexive s'envoyer, of food, drink or a lover, dates from 1897 (Courteline).[4]

Timeline

  • c. 980 – Enveied in the Passion of Clermont.[4]
  • 12th century – The form envoyer; the noun envoi.[2][5]
  • c. 1165 – “To throw”.[4]
  • 1172 – “To send (something)”, in Chrétien de Troyes.[4]
  • 1640 – Envoyer promener.[2]
  • 1694 – Envoyer ad patres.[2]
  • 1897 – Slang s'envoyer, in Courteline.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To send someone somewhere: envoyer un enfant à l'école.[8]
  2. To send something: envoyer une lettre.[2][8]
  3. To throw, hurl; to deal (a blow): envoyer un ballon.[2]
  4. Envoyer promener, envoyer balader: to send packing.[2]
  5. (slang) S'envoyer: to down (a drink, a meal); to have sex with.[4]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 796a
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert