merise

Forms

merise f (plural merises)^[1]

Etymology

It stands for an unrecorded inherited from Old French *amerise, a derivative from French amer¹ (“bitter”) with the ending of cerise.^[2][3][4][5] The initial vowel was lost because it was taken for the article: ⟨l’amerise⟩ was heard as ⟨la merise⟩.^[2][3][4] The adjective is from Latin amārus (“bitter”).^[6][7]

Parallel forms are Italian amarella,^[4][8] Medieval Latin amarina and amarella, recorded about 1300.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Jean de Meun uses it in the Roman de la Rose (1275–1280) for the wild cherry.^[2][3][4] The Grand Robert, the GLLF and the Petit Robert date it from about 1265.^[6][5][9]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its sense, a small wild cherry, slightly sour or bitter.^[3][9] In the 14th century the Ménagier lists cerises, merises, guines, and in the 16th, de Serres explains that merises are small, nearly wild cherries named for their bitterness.^[8] A 15th-century text has the form mesire.^[8]

The tree that bears them, merisier, is recorded in 1388 according to Rey and in the 13th century according to Bloch and Wartburg; it also names the wood of the tree (1748).^[3][4]

Timeline

• 1275–1280 – Jean de Meun uses it in the Roman de la Rose.^[2][3]
• 14th century – The Ménagier lists cerises, merises, guines.^[8]
• 1388 – Merisier names the tree.^[3]
• 16th century – De Serres links the name to its bitter taste.^[8]
• 1748 – Merisier is used for the wood.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. The fruit of the merisier, a small wild cherry, red or black, with little flesh and a slightly bitter taste.^[9][2][5]

Word family

• merisier

Related words

• amer¹
• cerise
• Latin amārus

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 393a
8. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert