essor

Forms

essor m (plural essors)^[1] Anglo-Norman essor, also spelled essort and essors.^[2]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French essorer.^[3][4][5][1] The verb comes from Vulgar Latin *exaurō (“to expose to the air”), formed with ex- (“out of”) and aura (“breeze, air”).^[3][6][7] In the language of falconry the reflexive verb came to mean “to rise into the air” (about 1176), and the noun was formed in this sense, while it also kept the meaning “exposure to the air” from the first sense of the verb.^[7][3][8]

The same Vulgar Latin verb gave Old Occitan eissaurar, and it survives in dialects of Italian, Romansh and Catalan;^[7][6] Italian sorare, which only has the falconry sense, was borrowed from French.^[7][6] The Latin noun also gave Old French ore, the base of orage.^[6][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the phrase a l'essor “in the open air” in Chrétien de Troyes' Chevalier de la charrette (1172–1175).^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

The sense “open air, exposure to the air” went out of use, and the word came to name the upward spring of a bird taking flight, above all in prendre son essor.^[6][3] The figurative sense “impetus, surge” is found before 1188, in Partonopeus de Blois.^[3][6] In Anglo-Norman, from about 1215, essor meant an attack or great speed.^[2]

In the 16th century à l'essor could mean “in disorder” or “at random”, as in Pasquier and Sully.^[9] Classical French used prendre l'essor for “to stray from one's subject” (La Fontaine, 1665)^[6][10] and essor for the publication of a book (Molière, 1666).^[10] By extension the word came to mean a vigorous development or growth, especially in en plein essor, the main sense today.^[6][5][11]

Timeline

• 1172–1175 – A l'essor “in the open air” appears in Chrétien de Troyes' Chevalier de la charrette.^[3]
• Before 1188 – Partonopeus de Blois uses it figuratively for an impetus.^[3][6]
• c. 1215 – Anglo-Norman essor is recorded in the sense “attack, great speed”.^[2]
• 15th century – Charles d'Orléans writes Sans estre mis à l'essor de largesse.^[9]
• 1608 – Mathurin Régnier uses it for an impulse that sets something going.^[10]
• 1651 – Corneille uses it for a bold movement of development.^[10]
• 1665 – La Fontaine uses prendre l'essor for straying from one's subject.^[6][10]
• 1666 – Molière uses it for the publication of a book.^[10]
• Early 20th century – It is used of a soaring, upward-reaching appearance.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. (literary) The upward flight of a bird taking wing;^[11][12][1] prendre son essor, to take flight.^[11][12][1]
2. (figurative, literary) An impetus, a free upward movement of the mind or feelings: l'essor de son imagination.^[13][5]
3. A rapid, vigorous development or growth: une industrie en plein essor, a booming industry.^[11][12][5]

Related words

• essorer
• essorage
• orage
• Latin aura

Usage notes

Essor is rarely used in the plural.^[13]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
9. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ 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
11. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
12. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
13. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)