frivolité

Forms

frivolité f (plural frivolités)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French frivole + -ité.^[2][1][3] The adjective is from Latin frivolus (“trifling, worthless”).^[4] Littré traced the noun instead to Latin frivolitas, and compared Old Occitan frevoltat and Spanish frivolidad.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found before 1718 in the abbé Régnier-Desmarais (quoted by the Dictionnaire de Trévoux in 1752), for the quality of being frivole.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

The word first named the quality of a frivolous thing or person, its lack of seriousness, and also lightness in love.^[2][7] From 1760 une frivolité was a frivolous thing, a trifle, a sense now little used.^[2][6] In the plural it came to mean things of little use and, from 1829, small articles of fashion and finery.^[6][7] Since 1812 it has also named a kind of lace made with a shuttle.^[2][6][5]

Timeline

• Before 1718 – First recorded, in Régnier-Desmarais.^[2]
• 1721 – The date Bloch and Wartburg give.^[4]
• 1760 – “A frivolous thing”, in Caraccioli.^[2]
• 1812 – A kind of lace, in Jouy.^[2][6]
• 1829 – Small articles of fashion.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. frivolity, lack of seriousness, levity: Il aborde les sujets graves avec frivolité.^[7][2]
2. A frivolous thing, a trifle: perdre son temps en frivolités.^[8][5]
3. (dated, in the plural) Small articles of fashion and finery; trinkets.^[7][6]
4. tatting, a lace made with a shuttle.^[2][5]

Related words

• frivole

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. ^ 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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse