horizontal

Forms

horizontal (feminine horizontale, masculine plural horizontaux, feminine plural horizontales)^[1] First written orizontal (1545); the spelling horizontal is recorded in 1636 by Monet.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French horizon + -al, built on the stem of the noun's Latin genitive.^[4][5] The Grand Robert derives it from orizonte, the old form of the noun.^[3] The noun itself is from Latin horizon, from Ancient Greek ὁρίζων (horízōn), the present participle of a verb meaning “to bound, limit”.^[5][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1545 in lignes horizontales “horizontal lines”, in Jean Martin's French translation of Sebastiano Serlio.^[4][6]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first described what is parallel to the astronomical horizon.^[6] Furetière recorded it in 1690 for the lying position, and the Académie had se mettre dans la position horizontale “to lie down” in 1835.^[2] The feminine horizontale became a noun for the horizontal position (1690) and a horizontal straight line.^[6]

In slang of 1881, by allusion to lying down, une horizontale meant a prostitute; this use has nearly disappeared.^[6][5] In the 20th century the word took a figurative sense, of what joins people or things on the same level (opposed to vertical), as in concentration horizontale for the merger of firms.^[6] Within a firm or an institution it is found in 1964.^[7]

Timeline

• 1545 – Lignes horizontales appears in Jean Martin's translation of Serlio.^[4]
• 1596 – The adverb horizontalement is recorded.^[6]
• 1636 – Monet spells it horizontal.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière uses it of the lying position, and the noun horizontale is recorded.^[2][6]
• 1786 – The noun horizontalité is recorded.^[6]
• 1881 – Horizontale appears in slang for a prostitute.^[6]
• 1964 – Used of relations within a firm or institution.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Horizontal: parallel to the horizon, at right angles to the vertical: une ligne horizontale.^[8][9]
2. (familiar) Prendre la position horizontale: to lie down.^[8]
3. (figurative) Joining people or things on the same level, as opposed to a hierarchical relation: concentration horizontale.^[6]

Noun

1. (feminine) A horizontal line, or the horizontal position.^[8][6]
2. (slang, dated) A prostitute.^[6][5]

Word family

• horizontalement
• horizontalité
• horizontale

Related words

• horizon
• vertical
• Latin horizōn

References

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