infini

Forms

infini (feminine infinie, masculine plural infinis, feminine plural infinies)^[1] Old French infinit (1216), remade as infini in the 14th century;^[2][3] infiny about 1450.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin īnfīnītus (“without end, boundless, indefinite”), first in the form infinit (1216), which was remade in the 14th century.^[2][3][4] The Latin adjective is formed of in- (“not”) and fīnītus (“bounded, finished”), the past participle of fīniō (“to limit, to finish”).^[3][5][1]

Cognate with Old Occitan infinit, Spanish infinito and Italian infinito.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1216 in Angier's Vie de saint Grégoire, in mesaises infinites “countless hardships”, of something too great in number or quantity to be measured.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Oresme, about 1370, used it both as an adjective and as a noun for what has no end, defining infini as a thing “sans fin” that may be infinite in number, quantity, power or duration.^[2][3] About 1450 it was applied to God, in whom no limit can be conceived.^[2][3] From 1552 it was used loosely for what is very great in size, length, intensity or number, and in the plural for “very numerous”.^[3][7]

In the 17th century the noun entered the phrase à l'infini, at first meaning “extremely” (1622) and then “without limit” (1640, Oudin; 1647, Descartes, of divine power).^[3][2][8] From 1662 l'infini named what is infinite in one of its aspects, whence the mathematical infinite, written ∞; in the 20th century photography used it for the distance beyond which objects are in focus.^[3] The adverb infiniment (1488) follows the adjective's senses.^[3]

Timeline

• 1216 – Infinit appears in Angier's Vie de saint Grégoire.^[2]
• c. 1370 – Oresme uses infini as adjective and noun, “without end”.^[2][3]
• c. 1450 – Vray Dieu infiny in the Mystère du Viel Testament.^[2]
• 1488 – The adverb infiniment is recorded.^[3]
• 1552 – The loose sense “very great” appears.^[3][7]
• 1622 – À l'infini “extremely” is recorded.^[3]
• 1647 – Descartes uses à l'infini “without limit” of divine power.^[2][3]
• 1662 – The noun names what is infinite in some aspect.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Having no limit or end: La bonté de Dieu est infinie.^[9][6]
2. (mathematics) Greater than any finite quantity: ensemble infini, série infinie.^[9][7]
3. Seemingly endless, immense: Un ciel infini s'étendait au-dessus du désert.^[9][6]
4. In the plural, very many, countless.^[3][6]

Noun

1. L'infini: that which has no limit, the infinite.^[6][3]
2. (mathematics) Infinity, written ∞.^[3]
3. (photography) The distance setting beyond which objects are in focus.^[3]
4. À l'infini: without end, or extremely: Ce débat pourrait durer à l'infini.^[2][3]

Word family

• infiniment

Related words

• fini
• finir
• infinité
• infinitésimal
• Latin īnfīnītus

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 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 m n o p q r s t u Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 669b
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert