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haineux

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Etymology and origin of the French word haineux

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1155 Wace, Roman de Brut More words from the 12th century
Ultimate origins
Frankish *hatjanFrench -ine,-eux
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French haïr
French haine
French haineux

Pronunciation

Forms

haineux (feminine haineuse, masculine plural haineux, feminine plural haineuses)[1] Old French haïnus, haïnos, haineus;[2][3] Middle French also haigneux.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French haine + -eux.[2][4][5] Old French spelled the base haigne, and the adjective first appears as haïnus and haïnos.[2] Littré notes that old texts also had haineur “one who hates”, formed with the suffix -eur.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, haïnus in Wace's Brut (1155), means “hated, detested”;[2][3] about 1165 Benoît de Sainte-Maure's Troie has haïnos in the active sense “inclined by nature to hate”.[2]

Semantic evolution

The passive sense “hateful, odious” was still alive in the 14th century, when Oresme wrote that a thing may be haineuse to one man and delightful to another.[5] The active sense, “given to hatred”, prevailed,[3] while from the late 13th century the word also described what is inspired by hatred, such as words or acts.[3][2] Used as a noun, un haineux “a hateful person” is found from about 1530 and is now old-fashioned.[3]

The adverb haineusement is recorded from the middle of the 14th century.[2]

Timeline

  • 1155 – Haïnus “hated” appears in Wace's Brut.[2][3]
  • c. 1165 – Haïnos “given to hatred” in Benoît de Sainte-Maure's Troie.[2]
  • c. 1265 – The spelling haineus is found in Jean de Meun.[3]
  • c. 1283 – Beaumanoir writes haineux, also for what is inspired by hatred.[3][4]
  • mid-14th century – The adverb haingneusement is recorded.[2]
  • 1365 – The Psalter of Metz has perolles heynouse “hateful words”.[2]
  • c. 1530 – Clément Marot uses it as a noun.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Naturally given to hatred; spiteful, vindictive.[6][7][2]
  2. Betraying hatred: un regard haineux.[6][7]
  3. Inspired by hatred, venomous: propos haineux.[6][7][3]

Word family

  • haineusement

Usage notes

The h is aspirated: there is no liaison or elision before it.[6][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 k l Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Haineux.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/haineux. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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