fosse

Forms

fosse f (plural fosses)^[1] Anglo-Norman fose, fosce, foce.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin fossa (“ditch, pit, trench”), which in Christian Latin also meant “tomb”.^[3][4][5] The Latin word is the feminine past participle, used as a noun, of fodiō (“to dig”),^[4][6][7] the source of fouir.^[4]

Cognate with Italian fossa, Old Occitan fossa, Catalan fossa, Portuguese fossa and Spanish fosa, older Spanish fuesa (“grave”).^{[8][9][10][11]}

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) for a hollow that receives something, the lions' den of Daniel: Enz en la fosse des lions.^[3][9][4]

Semantic evolution

From the general sense of a dug or natural cavity came special uses: a dungeon (12th century), basse-fosse (15th century) for a deep one, whence cul de basse-fosse;^[4] a trap pit (1690, recorded by the Grand Larousse in 1636);^[4][7] the cesspit, fosse d'aisances (1694); the enclosure where bears or lions are kept, fosse aux ours, fosse aux lions (1890); and fosse d'orchestre (early 20th century).^[4][7] It also named a whole coal mine (1802).^[4]

A grave dug in the earth is fosse from 1170 (Marie de France),^[3][4] with fosse commune (1872), creuser sa fosse “to prepare one's own death” (1829) and avoir un pied dans la fosse “to be near death”, given by Furetière in 1690^[4][7] and found in Oudin as early as 1640.^[12] In anatomy it names a natural cavity from 1180–1190 (la fosse du col, Alexandre de Paris), and in geology a deep ocean trench (1932).^[3][4]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – The Chanson de Roland speaks of la fosse des lions.^[3][9]
• 1170 – Marie de France uses it for a grave.^[3][4]
• 1180–1190 – Alexandre de Paris uses it of a hollow of the body.^[3]
• 15th century – Basse-fosse “deep dungeon” appears.^[4][8]
• 1640 – Oudin records avoir un pied dans la fosse.^[12]
• 1694 – Fosse d'aisances is recorded.^[4][7]
• 1802 – It names a coal mine.^[4][7]
• 1872 – Fosse commune is recorded.^[4][7]
• 1890 – Fosse aux ours, aux lions is recorded.^[4][7]
• 1932 – Cuénot uses it for a deep-sea trench.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A pit dug in the ground for a purpose: fosse d'aisances, a cesspit, fosse septique.^[10][13]
2. Fosse d'orchestre: the orchestra pit in front of a stage.^[10][13]
3. Fosse aux lions, fosse aux ours: the pit where lions or bears are kept; figuratively, la fosse aux lions, a place where one faces formidable opponents.^[10]
4. (mining) A coal-mine shaft; a pit in a garage floor for working under a car.^[10]
5. A grave: fosse commune, a common grave;^[10][13][7] avoir un pied dans la fosse, to be near death.^[10][13][7]
6. (anatomy) A fossa, a natural cavity: fosses nasales.^[4][7]
7. (geology) An ocean trench: fosse marine.^[4][3]

Word family

• fossette
• fossoyeur

Related words

• fossé
• fouir
• fossile
• enfouir
• Latin fossa

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 738b
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
12. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
13. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)