jointure

Forms

jointure f (plural jointures)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French jointure, inherited from Latin iūnctūra (“joint, joining”), from iūnctus, the action noun of iungō (“to join”).^[2][3][1][4] It is therefore not one of the French derivatives of joint¹.^[3]

Cognate with Italian giuntura, Old Occitan jontura, Catalan juntura, Spanish juntura and Portuguese juntura.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) it means the joint between two bones.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From the anatomical sense the word passed to the place where two pieces of a whole meet (Philippe de Thaon, about 1121).^[2][3] It has lost the active sense “act of joining”, found from the 12th to the 15th century.^[3] Saint-Simon used it figuratively at the end of the 17th century, and Littré records the sense of a skill in finding the right openings and opportunities.^[4][6]

The Old French word passed into English as jointure in the late 14th century.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – “Joint between bones” in the Chanson de Roland.^[2]
• 1121–1134 – Philippe de Thaon uses it for a joint between parts.^[2]
• late 14th century – English borrows it.^[7]
• late 17th century – Saint-Simon uses it figuratively.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A joint between bones, an articulation: faire craquer les jointures de ses doigts.^[8][2]
2. The place where two parts of a whole meet, and the way they are joined: la jointure de deux poutres.^[8][2][4]

Related words

• joindre
• joint¹
• Latin iūnctūra
• English jointure

References

1. ^ a b c 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. 4618
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert