glaïeul

Forms

glaïeul m (plural glaïeuls)^[1] Old French glaviuz (12th century), glagous (about 1200), glaiol, glaiuel and jaglueil (13th century).^[2][3][4] The present form is found from 1541.^[4][5]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French glaiol, inherited from Latin gladiolus (“short sword; gladiolus”), a diminutive of gladius (“sword”), named for the sword-shaped leaves of the plant.^{[2][6][7][1][8]} Rey explains the modern form as a resuffixed glaiuel.^[3] Littré noted that the French and Provençal stress falls on the suffix, not on the ⟨di⟩ of the Latin word, and supposed a derivative Vulgar Latin *gladiolius.^[9]

The Latin word for sword itself probably took a botanical sense in Late Latin, whence Old French glaid (late 11th century, Rashi) and glai (“gladiolus”) (about 1160), used until the 17th century.^[2][3][6][7] Rey thinks the short form was given up for the longer word because of its brevity and its homophones, though Old Provençal glai lives on in the southern dialects.^[3][6]

Compare Occitan glaviol, Walloon clajo and Picard glaju.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as glaviuz in the 12th-century Glossary of Tours, for the gladiolus.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The name has stayed with the iris family: in the 14th century Henri de Mondeville writes of glagel, and a text on hunting says the otter lies in places full of glageux.^[9] In 1600 Olivier de Serres describes le glaieul, dict aussi yris with its blue flowers, and the yellow glaieul or bastard flag.^[9][7] Littré still records glaïeul des marais and glaïeul puant for two species of iris.^[9]

Timeline

• late 11th century – Rashi's glosses have glaid, from gladius.^[2][7]
• 12th century – Glaviuz appears in the Glossary of Tours.^[2]
• c. 1200 – The form glagous is found in L'Escoufle.^[2]
• 13th century – Glaiol appears in the Didot Perceval.^[2]
• 1541 – The present form glaïeul is recorded.^[4][5]
• 1600 – Olivier de Serres writes glaieul.^[7][10]

Meanings

Noun

1. A gladiolus, a bulbous plant of the iris family with long pointed leaves and large flowers in a spike on a single stem.^[5][2]
2. The cut flower of this plant: un bouquet de glaïeuls.^[5]
3. Glaïeul des marais: the yellow flag iris.^[5][9]

Related words

• glaive
• Latin gladiolus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 143a
9. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
10. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF