Etymologically
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former

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fɔʁ.me/[1]

Forms

former[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin fōrmō (“to shape, form; to arrange; to instruct”), from fōrma (“form, shape”) (see forme).[2][3][4][5][1][6] The inherited outcome of the Latin noun “formatio” was Old French “formaison”, “formation” was borrowed about 1170.[3]

Compare Old Occitan formar, Spanish formar and Italian formare.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Couronnement de Louis (about 1135) uses it for giving something a particular shape, and the Psautier de Cambridge (first half of the 12th century) for God creating: Dame dex pere, qui formastes Adam.[2][3][7]

Semantic evolution

In Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence (1172–1174) it means “to formulate”, a sense now gone, like “to engender” (1647, Corneille).[2][3] Montchrestien (1604) uses it for conceiving in the mind, as in former un dessein, and Montaigne (1580) for shaping a person's mind, whence se former “to educate oneself” (1688, Bossuet).[2][3]

Palissy (1563, 1580) has “to take the shape of” and se former “to come into being”, and Pascal (1656–1657) “to make up, constitute”.[2] Rey sees the core sense shifting from “to create” to “to organize”.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1135 – “To shape”, Couronnement de Louis.[2]
  • first half of the 12th century – Of God creating.[2]
  • 1172–1174 – “To formulate”.[2]
  • 1580 – To shape a mind, Montaigne.[2]
  • 1604 – Un dessein formé, Montchrestien.[2]
  • 1656–1657 – “To constitute”, Pascal.[2]
  • 1688 – Se former “to learn”, Bossuet.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To form, create, make exist: Dieu forma l'homme; to put together: former un gouvernement, former un train.[8][1]
  2. To shape, give a form to: former ses lettres.[2][1]
  3. To train, educate: former des ingénieurs, se former, to train, learn.[2][1]
  4. To make up, constitute: ils forment un beau couple.[2][8]
  5. To conceive: former un projet, former des vœux.[8]
  6. Se former: to take shape, come into being.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 716b
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert