figurine

Forms

figurine f (plural figurines)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian figurina, a diminutive of figura (“figure”), from Latin figura.^[2][3][4][1] The Italian word had both the painter's sense “small figure” and the sense “small statuette” from the 16th century, and French took over the first in 1578 and the second in 1829.^[2][5] Rey notes that the Latin word is here taken in its sense “statue”.^[5][3] Littré simply calls it a diminutive of figure.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Vigenère's Images ou Tableaux de plate peinture (1578), as a painter's term for a small figure in a picture.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

As a term of painting, figurine named a small figure, often in the background of a picture.^[2][6] The sense “statuette” is dated 1829 (Boiste) by the TLFi and the DHLF, but 1625 (Stœr) by the GLLF and the Grand Robert.^[2][5][7][3] Littré gives it mostly for small antique figures of clay or metal.^[6] In the 19th century it also named a drawn fashion plate in a catalogue (1844).^[2]

The English word figurine was taken from the French in 1854.^[8]

Timeline

• 1578 – Vigenère uses it of a small painted figure.^[2][5]
• 1589 – Bloch and Wartburg's date for the sense “small figure, image”.^[4]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records the word.^[6]
• 1625 – Stœr's dictionary has the sense “statuette”, according to the GLLF.^[7][3]
• 1829 – Boiste records it for a small plaster or bronze statuette.^[2][5]
• 1854 – English borrows it as figurine.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A small statuette of clay, porcelain, ivory, metal and so on.^[9][7][10]
2. (art) A small figure drawn or painted, especially a fashion plate in a catalogue.^[2]
3. (games) A miniature used in board or war games.^[1]

Word family

• figuriniste

Related words

• figure
• Italian figurina
• English figurine

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)