irrégulier

Forms

irrégulier (feminine irrégulière, masculine plural irréguliers, feminine plural irrégulières)^[1] Old French irreguler (about 1283); irrégulier from the early 14th century.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin irrēgulāris (“not conforming to the rule”), a word of Christian Latin, formed from in- and rēgulāris (“serving as a rule”), from rēgula (“rule”).^[4][3][2] The TLFi divides it: the general sense “not following the rules” is treated as a derivative of régulier with the negative prefix, after the Latin word, while the canon-law sense, applied to a cleric who cannot be ordained, is the Latin word borrowed, with its ending replaced by -ier.^[5][6]

Cognate with Old Occitan irregular, Spanish irregular and Italian irregolare.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Beaumanoir's Coutumes de Beauvaisis (1283) uses irreguler of people who do not keep the rules: those who handed over criminals disguised as clerics seroient irreguler.^[5][7]

Semantic evolution

In canon law it was used before 1300 of an abbot unfit for his office.^[5] Before 1382 Oresme applied it to things that do not conform to a rule, and in the 14th century it was used in grammar.^[5][2] Molière speaks of an irregular procedure in 1659;^[5] vie irrégulière “a disorderly life” is recorded in 1671 and an irregular building in 1680.^[5] Montaigne (1580) uses it for what is uneven in form, and in 1763 Voltaire writes of troupes irrégulières outside the regular army.^[2][5] In the 19th century irréguliers also named native troops serving with the French army in Algeria.^[7]

Timeline

• 1283 – Beaumanoir uses irreguler.^[5][4]
• before 1300 – Used in canon law of an abbot.^[5]
• before 1382 – Oresme applies it to things.^[5]
• 14th century – Oresme's irrégularité is recorded.^[4]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses it of uneven forms.^[2]
• 1659 – Molière writes of an irregular procedure.^[5]
• 1680 – Richelet records bâtiment irrégulier.^[5]
• 1763 – Voltaire writes of troupes irrégulières.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Irregular in shape, size or arrangement, not symmetrical: une côte irrégulière.^[8][5][1]
2. Uneven in time or rhythm: un pouls irrégulier.^[8][7]
3. Not in keeping with the rules or with common usage; not lawful.^[8][1]
4. Not steady or dependable in conduct or results.^[1][2]
5. (grammar) Not following the usual pattern: un verbe irrégulier.^[7][1]
6. (military) Of troops, not belonging to the regular army.^[7][5]
7. (canon law) Of a cleric, barred from receiving or exercising holy orders.^[2][5]

Word family

• irrégulièrement

Related words

• règle
• irrégularité
• régulier
• Latin irregularis

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 225a
7. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert