intime

Forms

intime (plural intimes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin intimus (“innermost, the inmost part”), the superlative of interior (“inner”).^[2][3][4][1] Littré instead took it as the superlative of an older form of intus (“within”).^[5] The TLFi and the DHLF date it to 1376–77;^[2][3] Bloch and Wartburg and the Petit Robert give about 1390.^[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1376–77 in Jean Le Fèvre's Respit de la mort, meaning “very closely united with someone”, and so, of a child, “legitimate”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From the early 16th century it also qualified a person's inner life, what is deepest and usually hidden.^[2][3] From the first sense came the noun “very dear friend” (1616, d'Aubigné).^[2][3] The second sense gave a noun for what is deepest in the soul, in relation to God (1651, Pascal).^[2][3] By extension it was applied to a close union between things (1765, the Encyclopédie).^[2][3]

From 1780 it was used of autobiographical writings not meant for publication, as in Benjamin Constant's Journaux intimes (1816).^[3][2][8] In the early 19th century it came to mean “held among close friends” (1806) and then, of a place or atmosphere, “creating a sense of intimacy” (1849, Lamartine).^[3][2] The Romantic period also applied it to what is strictly personal and kept from others, especially physical closeness (1821, Hugo) and closeness of feeling (1833, Balzac).^[3]

Timeline

• 1376–77 – Jean Le Fèvre uses it of persons closely united.^[2][3]
• Early 16th century – It is applied to the depths of the soul.^[2][3]
• 1606 – Nicot records the sense of a close bond between people.^[8]
• 1616 – D'Aubigné uses it as a noun, “very dear friend”.^[2][3]
• 1651 – Pascal uses it as a noun for what is deepest in relation to God.^[2][3]
• 1765 – The Encyclopédie applies it to a close union of things.^[2][8]
• 1771 – Sens intime is recorded by the Trévoux dictionary.^[8]
• 1780 – Restif de La Bretonne writes of a journal intime.^[8]
• 1806 – Madame de Genlis uses it of a gathering among close friends.^[8][3]
• 1849 – Lamartine applies it to a place that evokes intimacy.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (literary) Innermost, belonging to the deepest part of a being or thing: sens intime “inner sense, consciousness”, conviction intime “deep conviction”.^[7][2][5]
2. Close, binding things or people tightly together: mélange intime, relations intimes, the latter especially of sexual relations.^[7][8]
3. Of people: very close, intimate: ami intime, être intime avec quelqu'un.^[7][2]
4. private, personal and generally kept from others: vie intime, journal intime; specifically, relating to the genitals: toilette intime.^[7][2]
5. Held among close friends, or of a place, creating a feeling of intimacy: un dîner intime, un petit salon intime.^[7][2][3]

Noun

1. A close friend, a confidant: entre intimes “among close friends”, and pour les intimes of a name used only by close friends.^[7][2][1]

Word family

• intimement
• intimité
• intimiste
• intimisme

Related words

• intérieur
• Latin intimus

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse