Etymologically
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gingembre

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʒɛ̃.ʒɑ̃bʁ/[1]

Forms

gingembre m (plural gingembres)[1] Jenjevre (Judeo-French, late 11th century), gingibre (1174–1176), gingimbre (late 13th century); gingembre from about 1330.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French gingibre, inherited from Late Latin gingiber,[2][1][5] from classical zingiberi,[2][3][6][4] borrowed from Ancient Greek ζιγγίβερις (zingíberis, “ginger”), a word of eastern origin:[2][3][4] Rey says Tamil, the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert an Indian word.[3][4][7] Its irregular sound development is that of a word carried by the spice trade, like girofle.[2][6] Littré compared a Sanskrit name of ginger meaning “horn-bodied”.[8]

Compare Italian zenzero and Spanish jengibre.[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Rashi's glosses (late 11th century) have the Judeo-French form jenjevre.[2][9]

Semantic evolution

Besides the tropical plant and its rhizome, gingembre names the peppery spice and ginger preserved in sugar.[3][9] English compounds were borrowed in the 19th and 20th centuries: ginger-beer (1833) and ginger-ale (1950).[3] In Africa gingembre is also a drink made from the rhizome.[3]

Timeline

  • late 11th century – Jenjevre (Rashi).[2][4]
  • 1174–1176 – Gingibre.[2]
  • c. 1330 – Gingembre.[3][4]
  • 1833 – Ginger-beer.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Ginger, the plant and its rhizome.[7][1]
  2. The spice made from it: biscuits au gingembre.[7][9]
  3. (Africa) A ginger drink.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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 j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 663b
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse