Etymologically
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filigrane

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fi.li.ɡʁan/[1]

Forms

filigrane m (plural filigranes)[1] Filigramme (1664, still in the 19th century), filigrane (1665).[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian filigrana (17th century, Magalotti),[2][3][4][5] a compound of “fili”, plural of “filo” “thread” (from Latin fīlum, see fil), and “grana” “grains” (from Latin grānum, see grain), since the threads of filigree work were first set with tiny grains.[2][3][6] The common alteration “filigramme”, the first form recorded, cannot come from “gramme”, which dates only from the late 18th century.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A tariff of 18 September 1664 has filigramme as a goldsmith's term, and the king's building accounts (1665) have filigrane.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It names openwork made of fine gold or silver threads, interlaced and soldered (also Venetian glass threads and the wire round a sword grip).[7][8] Because of the network of wires in the paper mould, it came to mean a watermark visible against the light (filigramme, 1818, filigrane, Académie, 1835).[2][3] The figurative en filigrane “implicitly, between the lines” dates from the 20th century.[3][8] Filigraner dates from 1845.[4] English filigree is a shortening (1690s) of filigreen (1660s), from French.[9]

Timeline

  • 1664 – Filigramme.[2]
  • 1665 – Filigrane.[2]
  • 1660s – English filigreen.[9]
  • 1818 – A watermark (filigramme).[2]
  • 1835 – Filigrane “watermark” in the Académie.[2]
  • 1845 – Filigraner.[4]
  • 20th century – En filigrane.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A watermark: le filigrane d'un billet de banque.[8][1]
  2. Filigree (work): un bijou en filigrane.[8][1]
  3. En filigrane: implicitly, between the lines.[8][3]

Word family

  • filigraner
  • filigraner

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