fenil

Forms

fenil m (plural fenils)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin fēnīle (“hayloft”),^[2][3][1][4] from fēnum (“hay”), the source of foin.^[3][5] Rey calls it a borrowing from Latin.^[6]

Cognate with Italian fienile, Spanish henil and Old Occitan fenil.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Robert dictionaries and the GLLF date it to the 12th century;^[5][7] the TLFi's first record is a late 13th-century manuscript of Chrétien de Troyes's Erec et Enide.^[2] Anglo-Norman has it from the early 13th century as a hayloft or hay barn.^[8]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its meaning of a place where hay is stored.^[6][2] In the 14th century Modus it is a heap of hay,^[9] and in the 16th century Olivier de Serres uses fenils for round haystacks built in the open air.^[9] It belongs to the vocabulary of traditional farming;^[6] some regions say fenière instead.^[2]

Timeline

• 12th century – First records.^[5][7]
• early 13th century – Anglo-Norman fenil “hayloft”.^[8]
• late 13th century – In a manuscript of Erec et Enide.^[2]
• 14th century – A heap of hay in the Modus.^[9]
• 16th century – Olivier de Serres writes of open-air fenils.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A hayloft, a barn or part of a farm building where hay is stored.^[10][2]

Related words

• foin
• Latin fēnum

Usage notes

Littré gives /fənil/ but notes that many speakers say /fəni/.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 457a
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
9. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert