Etymologically
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lycée

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /li.se/[1]

Forms

lycée m (plural lycées)[1]

Etymology

It is the use as a common noun (1721) of the proper name (1568; Lyceon, 1534) of the gymnasium north-east of Athens where Aristotle taught.[2][3][4] The name was borrowed from Latin Lyceum, from Ancient Greek Λύκειον (Lúkeion).[3][2][5]

The Greek name is generally explained as “place with wolves”, from λύκος (lúkos, “wolf”), like the old sense of Louvre in French.[2][6][4] Littré says it was named after the nearby temple of Apollo Λύκειος (Lúkeios), an epithet meaning “of wolves” or, according to others, “luminous”;[7][1] Wiktionary gives the epithet as of uncertain meaning, perhaps “wolf-killing”, “Lycian” or “luminous”.[7][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Dictionnaire de Trévoux (1721) uses lycée for a place where men of letters meet.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

In the 18th century the word was used in elevated style for a place where scholars gather; about 1790 it took the narrower sense of a place devoted to teaching (lycée civique et national).[2][3] The law of 11 Floréal year X (1802) gave it its modern sense, a state secondary school, originally for boys, often with boarders.[3][2][8] Bloch and Wartburg note that the name was replaced by collège royal in 1815 and restored in 1848.[9] In Belgium it named a secondary school for girls.[10] The noun lycéen dates from 1819.[9]

Timeline

  • 1534 – Lyceon, Aristotle's school, in Bonaventure des Périers.[4][2]
  • 1568 – Lycée as a proper name.[9][2]
  • 1721 – A meeting place of men of letters.[3]
  • 1790 – A place of instruction.[3]
  • 1802 – A state secondary school.[3][8]
  • 1815 – Renamed collège royal; restored in 1848.[9]
  • 1819 – Lycéen.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. In France, a public secondary school where pupils prepare the baccalauréat: aller au lycée, lycée professionnel.[10][6]
  2. The years spent at such a school: depuis le lycée.[10]
  3. (Belgium) A secondary school for girls.[10]
  4. (history) A meeting place of scholars, le Lycée, the school of Aristotle at Athens.[3][4]

Word family

  • lycéen
  • loup
  • Ancient Greek Λύκειον (Lúkeion)

Usage notes

Wiktionary also records a Middle French adjective lycée, an epithet of Apollo, from Latin Lycēus.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 5, 481a
  6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  9. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  10. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert