gallon

Forms

gallon m (plural gallons)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from English gallon (1669), itself from Old French galon, a measure for liquids in the Norman and Picard north at the end of the 12th century; the English word is recorded about 1300.^[2][3][4][5] Medieval Latin had galo in 1135–1139.^[2][3] Bloch and Wartburg note that the word still names a stoneware jug in Norman.^[6]

The Old French word is probably connected with Old French jalaie (“measure of capacity”) (1175–1180) and Late Latin galleta (“bucket”) (10th century), of uncertain origin;^[2][3][6] German Gelle (“bucket”) corresponds to it.^[3][6] Pierre Guiraud saw it instead as the Norman form of jalon “stake”, the stake serving as a gauge.^[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In French it is first recorded in 1669, in the French translation of E. Chamberlayne's L'Estat present de l'Angleterre, for the English measure of capacity.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In the French of Europe it names only the measure used in English-speaking countries.^[3] In Quebec the word kept the old French gallon of four pints, about 4.55 litres, against the 3.78 litres of the American gallon.^[3][7]

The Grand Larousse dates it from Misson in 1691, and Bloch and Wartburg only from 1867.^[8][6]

Timeline

• late 12th century – Old French galon, a measure for liquids, appears in the Moniage Guillaume.^[2]
• c. 1300 – The English word gallon is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1669 – Gallon appears in the French translation of Chamberlayne.^[2]
• 1691 – Misson uses the word.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A gallon, the English-speaking measure of capacity for liquids and grain: 4.54 litres in Britain and Canada, 3.78 litres in the United States.^[7][2][8]
2. (Canada) The traditional gallon of four pintes or eight chopines.^[7][3]

Usage notes

Gallon is a homophone of galon “braid”.^[7]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 18, 66b
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse