ire

Forms

ire f (plural ires)^[1] Old French ira in the Vie de saint Léger;^[2] Anglo-Norman also ere, iere and yre.^[3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin īra (“anger”), recorded at the end of the 10th century.^{[2][4][5][1][6]} Rey calls the origin of the Latin word poorly established,^[4] while Etymonline traces it to the Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *eis- of words for passion.^[7]

Cognate with Old Occitan ira, Spanish ira, Portuguese ira and Italian ira.^[8] The English word ire was borrowed from Old French about 1300.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The form ira “anger” is found in the Vie de saint Léger, in the second half of the 10th century.^[2][9] In the Chanson de Roland the hero asks purquei me portez ire? “why do you bear me anger?”.^[8]

Semantic evolution

French kept both senses of Latin ira, “anger” and “cause of anger”.^[4] In Anglo-Norman it was also used of God's wrath, of anger as a deadly sin, and for anguish or a quarrel.^[3] In everyday use it gave way to colère;^[4][10] Richelet (1680) found it “a little old” but still accepted in fine poetry when speaking of the heavens, the gods and sovereign princes, and the Trévoux dictionary (1704) added that it was used in burlesque.^[2][4] It still has literary and playful uses.^[4][2]

Timeline

• Late 10th century – Ira appears in the Vie de saint Léger.^[2][4]
• 11th century – Ire is used in the Chanson de Roland.^[8]
• c. 1300 – English borrows ire from Old French.^[7]
• 15th century – A chronicler writes of incurring l'yre de Dieu.^[8]
• 1680 – Richelet calls it a little old but still poetic.^[2][4]
• 1704 – The Trévoux dictionary notes its use in burlesque.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (archaic, literary) Anger, wrath; now often humorous.^{[2][11][12][13][4]}

Related words

• irascible
• Latin īra
• English ire

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 811b
7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
11. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
12. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
13. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)