Etymologically
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esquif

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 17:47. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛs.kif/[1]

Forms

esquif m (plural esquifs)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian schifo (“small boat”) (before 1470; the diminutive “schifetto” is found in the 14th century),[2][3][4][5][1] from Lombardic *skif (“boat”),[2][3][5][6] reconstructed from Old High German skif (modern German Schiff).[2][3] The Germanic word is the source of équiper and is related to English ship;[3][4] skiff and skipper came later from English and Dutch.[3]

Compare Spanish esquife and Portuguese esquife.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Guillaume de Villeneuve's memoirs (1497) use it for a small boat.[2][8]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its sense, a small light boat, and is now literary, often in frêle esquif “frail craft”.[3][9][2] Chateaubriand and Verlaine use it, and Hugo figuratively of two friends' lives tossed by the same storm.[2][8]

Timeline

  • 14th century – Italian schifetto.[2][3]
  • before 1470 – Italian schifo.[2]
  • 1497 – French esquif.[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (literary) A small light boat, a skiff: un frêle esquif.[9][1]
  • skiff
  • équiper
  • English ship

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 17, 109a
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert