insanité

Forms

insanité f (plural insanités)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from English insanity (“madness”), recorded in English since the late 16th century.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} The English word is either derived from insane or taken from Latin īnsānitās (“ill health, madness”),^[2] itself from īnsānus (“mad”).^[4][7] This Latin noun was less common than īnsānia, which gave the 16th-century French insanie “madness” (about 1510), a borrowing that has disappeared.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1784 in the Courrier de l'Europe, meaning the state of a diseased mind, madness.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The word spread in the early 19th century, chiefly in the sense of a senseless word or act, une insanité, des insanités (1832).^[3] Bescherelle records this use in 1845, with c'est une insanité.^[2][5] It is more common than the adjective insane.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1510 – The earlier borrowing insanie “madness” is recorded.^[3]
• 1784 – Insanité appears in the Courrier de l'Europe.^[2][4]
• 1832 – First use for a senseless word or act.^[3]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records acte d'insanité and c'est une insanité.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. Lack of sound reason or good sense, madness: il a eu l'insanité de tout vendre.^[8][6][5]
2. A senseless or stupid word or act, an inanity: il ne raconte que des insanités.^[8][6][5]

Related words

• insane
• sain
• English insanity

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert