excellence

Forms

excellence f (plural excellences)^[1] Old French also eucellence (Rutebeuf, 13th century).^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin excellentia (“superiority, excellence”), a noun from excellēns, the present participle of excellō (“to excel”).^[3][4][5][6] Wiktionary notes that it can also be analysed within French as exceller with the suffix -ence.^[1]

The use as a title of honour was taken from Italian at the end of the 13th century.^[6][7]

Cognate with Old Occitan excellencia and Spanish excelencia.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Benoît de Sainte-Maure uses it about 1170 in his chronicle of the dukes of Normandy, praising a ruler's grant proesce e ta science E ta puissance e t'excellence (“your great prowess and your knowledge, your power and your excellence”).^[3][2] The Anglo-Norman Dictionary dates the word to 1136–1165 and glosses it “outstanding quality”.^[8]

Semantic evolution

From the start the word meant the eminent quality of a person or thing in its kind.^[3][4] In the 13th century it was already applied to the king as a form of address, in Étienne Boileau's Livre des métiers (about 1260): s'il plaisoit a le tres debonere excellence le roy “if it pleased the most gracious excellence the king”.^[3][2] Under Italian influence it became a title of honour (late 13th century), now given with a capital to ambassadors, ministers and bishops; hence familiar donner de l'Excellence à quelqu'un.^[6][7]

The adverbial phrase par excellence “in the highest degree, most typically” dates from 1524.^[6] The school prix d'excellence, awarded to the pupil who did best in all subjects over the year, is described by Littré, and by metonymy names the pupil who wins it.^[2][6] In its first sense the word is now literary,^[6][7] but about 1980 it became a vogue word for very high quality in a service or an institution.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 1170 – Benoît de Sainte-Maure uses excellence in his chronicle of the dukes of Normandy.^[3]
• c. 1260 – Étienne Boileau's Livre des métiers applies it to the king.^[3]
• Late 13th century – The title of honour is taken from Italian.^[6][7]
• 14th century – Oresme speaks of people de très grant excellence.^[2]
• 1524 – First record of par excellence.^[6]
• c. 1980 – The word becomes fashionable for high quality in services and institutions.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (literary) The highest degree of quality or merit that a person or thing reaches in its kind, perfection: l'excellence d'un fromage.^[7][9][10]
2. Par excellence: in the fullest sense, as the most typical example.^[6]
3. Prix d'excellence: the school prize given to the best pupil of a class in all subjects together.^[7][10]
4. (with a capital) A title of honour given to ambassadors, ministers, archbishops and bishops: Son Excellence le ministre.^[7][9]

Related words

• excellent
• exceller
• excellentissime
• Latin excellentia

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b c d e f 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
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 e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)