messianique

Forms

messianique (plural messianiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from German messianisch (“relating to the Messiah”), which adapted the Latin adjective New Latin Messianus, common in the writings of German theologians from the 17th century.^[2] The TLF-Étym thinks German the most likely intermediary, since a word adapted straight from Latin would have given messien (as Iūliānus gave julien), and German -isch regularly matches French -ique; it adds that English messianic, recorded from about 1794, may also have played a part.^[2]

The older view, in the TLFi, the DHLF and the FEW, is that it was formed in French from messianisme by a change of suffix, and the Petit Robert derives it from messie.^[3][4][5][6] The noun is Messias, the Church Latin name of the Messiah, taken through Greek from Aramaic.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1831, in Wroński's Messianisme, for the “messianic problems” of his doctrine.^[2] The religious sense follows in 1832, in a book by Cellérier printed in Geneva, which speaks of the “messianic predictions” of the Bible, that is, those relating to the Messiah and his coming.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The religious sense, “relating to the Messiah and his coming”, was in use by 1832–1835, in phrases such as oracles messianiques and in a thesis asking whether Psalm 45 is messianique.^[2] Alongside it, Wroński (Hoëné-Wronski) used the word from 1831 for his doctrine of messianisme, and by 1850 for the hope of a providential saviour or a better world, a sense that grew up together with that of messianisme.^[2]

The older dictionaries dated it later: the TLFi to 1839, with Wroński, Bescherelle's dictionary to 1845 and Bloch and Wartburg to 1859.^[3][8][7] The GLLF dates the general sense “relating to a belief in a saviour or a better world” to the Robert of 1959.^[8]

Timeline

• 1831 – Wroński uses it of his philosophical and political doctrine.^[2]
• 1832 – First record in the religious sense, in Cellérier.^[2]
• 1839 – Wroński's Métapolitique messianique, the TLFi's first date.^[3]
• 1845 – Bescherelle's dictionary records it.^[8][9]
• 1850 – Wroński speaks of a messianic association among the Slavic nations.^[2]
• 1959 – The Robert records the general sense “relating to messianism”.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (religion) Relating to the Messiah and his coming: un texte messianique.^[3][8]
2. Relating to messianisme, the belief in the coming of a providential leader or of a better world.^[8][6]

Related words

• messie
• messianisme
• messianiste
• Latin Messias

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Steinfeld, Nadine; Buchi, Éva, eds. (2005–), TLF-Étym: révision des notices étymologiques du Trésor de la langue française informatisé, Nancy: ATILF
3. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/2, 48a
6. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert