jonquille

Forms

jonquille f (plural jonquilles)^[1] First written iouquille (1596–1628), then ionquille (1660).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Spanish junquillo (“jonquil”), a diminutive of junco (“rush”), which corresponds to French jonc and like it comes from Latin iuncus (“rush”).^[2][3][4][5] The plant is named after its rush-like leaves.^[2][6] Bloch and Wartburg, the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert give the Spanish form as junquilla.^[7][5][8] The Spanish word is recorded as a proper name in 1192, and as a plant name in 1599.^[2][3] The feminine gender of the French word was probably set by its ending ⟨-ille⟩.^[2][3]

The first spelling, ⟨iouquille⟩, has been taken for a misprint, but the TLFi notes that it stands in its right alphabetical place in Hulsius's dictionary.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears as iouquille in Hulsius's dictionary of 1596, as the name of the plant.^[2][4] Bloch and Wartburg date the word to 1614.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The word names a narcissus with fragrant yellow flowers and the flower itself.^[8][2] From the colour of the flower came couleur de jonquille (1715, in an inventory of the royal furniture) and the invariable colour adjective jonquille, recorded in 1748 in the account book of Lazare Duvaux.^[2][9] Rey dates the adjective to 1719 and the GLLF dates the adjective and the masculine noun to Buffon in 1770.^[3][4] In painting and gilding, le jonquille is a pale yellow made of white and yellow.^[10][8]

The English word jonquil was borrowed from the French word in the 1660s.^[6]

Timeline

• 1596 – Hulsius records iouquille.^[2]
• 1660 – Oudin writes ionquille.^[2][3]
• 1660s – English borrows it as jonquil.^[6]
• 1715 – Couleur de jonquille appears in an inventory of the royal furniture.^[2]
• 1748 – Used as a colour adjective in Lazare Duvaux's account book.^[2][9]
• 1770 – Buffon uses the colour word.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla), a narcissus with yellow, fragrant flowers and rush-like leaves; also the daffodil.^{[8][2][1][10]}
2. The flower of this plant: un bouquet de jonquilles.^[8][10]
3. (masculine, painting) A pale yellow made of white and yellow.^[8][10]

Adjective

1. (invariable) Bright or pale yellow, like the flower: des robes jonquille.^[8][11][12]

Related words

• jonc
• Spanish junquillo
• Latin iuncus
• English jonquil

Usage notes

As a colour adjective it does not agree: des jonquilles are flowers, but des vestes jonquille are yellow jackets.^[11]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
10. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
11. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
12. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)