honorifique

Forms

honorifique (plural honorifiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin honōrificus (“that honours, that brings honours”), from honōs (“honour”) and faciō (“to make”).^{[2][3][4][5][6]} It belongs to the family of honneur.^[4][7] Bloch and Wartburg date the borrowing 1478.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1488 in La Mer des histoires, a universal chronicle.^[2][9]

Semantic evolution

The word kept the Latin sense.^[4] Under the Ancien Régime droits honorifiques were the rights to certain honours and marks of distinction reserved to the lords, and to the patrons of churches; the phrase now belongs to history.^[4][7][6] On the model of phrases such as à titre gratuit, à titre onéreux, it formed à titre honorifique, with no right beyond the honorary title.^[4]

The adverb honorifiquement, also recorded in 1488, has gone out of use.^[4]

Timeline

• 1488 – Honorifique and the adverb honorifiquement appear in La Mer des histoires.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Conferring honour or standing without material advantage or real power: un titre honorifique, une distinction honorifique.^[7][2]
2. (history) Droits honorifiques: the privileges of honour reserved to feudal lords.^[7][4]
3. À titre honorifique: in name only, as a purely honorary title.^[7][4]

Related words

• honneur
• honoraire
• Latin honōrificus

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 465a
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse