Etymologically
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inaugurer

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /i.no.ɡy.ʁe/[1]

Forms

inaugurer[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin inaugurō (“to take the auguries; to consecrate (a priest, a place) after taking the auguries”),[2][3][4][5] from in- and augurō (“to foretell”), a derivative of augur (“augur”).[3][6] French kept only the ideas of solemnity and novelty from these religious terms.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bersuire uses it about 1355 in his translation of Livy: Chose inaugurée estoit celle, ou fust lieux ou personne, qui aus diex consacrée et dediée touz jours perseveroit, of a place or person consecrated to the gods.[7][2]

Semantic evolution

It was rare until the 18th century;[2][3] Trévoux (1752) records it of consecrating a ruler,[8] a sense now obsolete.[3][9] The usual modern sense, “to open (a monument, a building, an exhibition) with a ceremony”, is recorded by the Académie in 1835.[6][8] Figuratively Madame de Staël writes of inaugurer le règne de la justice (1817), “to introduce, initiate”,[2][3] and in 1832 Karr uses it for “to use for the first time”.[2][10]

In the 20th century inaugurer les chrysanthèmes became a byword for the empty ceremonial duties of the French president.[3][9]

Timeline

  • c. 1355 – Inaugurée in Bersuire.[2]
  • c. 1670 – The adjective inaugural.[3]
  • 1752 – “To consecrate (a sovereign)”, in Trévoux.[8]
  • 1817 – “To initiate”, in Madame de Staël.[2]
  • 1832 – “To use for the first time”, in Karr.[2]
  • 1835 – Opening a monument, in the Académie.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To inaugurate, open (a building, monument or exhibition) with an official ceremony.[9][11]
  2. To initiate, introduce for the first time: inaugurer une nouvelle politique.[9][12]
  3. To use for the first time: inaugurer une robe.[12][10]
  4. (dated) To consecrate (a sovereign).[12][6]

Word family

  • inaugural
  • inauguration

References

  1. ^ a b 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 617a
  6. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  12. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)