médaillon

Forms

médaillon m (plural médaillons)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian medaglione (“large medal”), an augmentative with the suffix -one of medaglia (“medal”), the source of médaille.^[2][3][4][5] The Italian word had the senses “large medal”, “round bas-relief” and “round locket” before French did.^[2]

The sense “small medal, buckle, brooch” recorded by Cotgrave in 1611, and the later sense of a locket, are probably a separate formation within French, from French médaille with the diminutive suffix -on.^[2][6][7] Wiktionary gives only this French derivation.^[1] The English word medallion (1650s) comes from the French word.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1554, in Thevet's Cosmographie du Levant, for a large medal.^[2][3][7]

Semantic evolution

A term of numismatics for a medal much bigger than ordinary ones, médaillon was applied by likeness of shape to a round bas-relief bearing a portrait or a subject, recorded by the Académie in 1740.^[6][2][4] Cotgrave already has the sense “small medal, buckle, brooch” in 1611, and, from 1795 the word names the round locket holding a portrait or a lock of hair.^[2][6]

In the 20th century it entered cooking for a thin round slice of meat (1934, Escoffier).^[2][6] It was also used figuratively for a short literary portrait of a well-known person.^[2]

Timeline

• 1554 – Thevet uses médaillon for a large medal.^[2][3]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records the sense “small medal, buckle, brooch”.^[2][6]
• 1650s – The English word medallion is first recorded.^[8]
• 1740 – The Académie records the sense “round bas-relief”.^[2][4]
• 1795 – Mme de Genlis uses it for a round locket holding a portrait or hair.^[2]
• 1934 – Escoffier uses it for a round slice of meat.^[2][9]

Meanings

Noun

1. (numismatics) A very large medal, not used as money.^[2][10][5]
2. A portrait or subject sculpted, painted, drawn or engraved in a round or oval frame.^[9][11]
3. A small round bas-relief bearing a portrait, used in architecture.^[9][10]
4. A round or oval piece of jewellery holding a portrait or a lock of hair, a locket.^[9][5][10]
5. (cooking) A thin, round slice of meat or fish: des médaillons de lotte.^[9][11]

Related words

• médaille
• Italian medaglione
• English medallion

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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)