moise

Forms

moise f (plural moises)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin mēnsa (“table, merchant's counter, banker's table, butcher's stall”).^[2][3][4][5] Gaston Paris proposed this etymon, the noun developing as toise did from Latin tēnsa and mois from mēnsis.^[6][7] Before him the origin was thought uncertain: Scheler saw in it medius, and Littré considered a Walloon word for a bite.^[6]

It is a doublet of the learned mense.^[2][1] The Latin word survives as the usual word for “table” in Romanian masă, Spanish mesa and Portuguese mesa.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1328 as a carpentry term, in the accounts of Odart de Laigny.^[2][4]

Timeline

• 1328 – A carpentry term in the accounts of Odart de Laigny.^[2][4] Rey dates the first record to 1325.^[3]
• 15th century – A Latin–Romance glossary has moisine.^[6]
• 1693 – D'Aviler's dictionary of architecture records the verb moiser.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (carpentry) Each of two twin timbers bolted on either side of one or more other pieces, which they tie together and hold at a fixed distance.^[2][4][6]
2. Moise de décharge: a long moise set obliquely to support a king post.^[6]

Word family

• moiser

Related words

• mense
• table
• Latin mensa

Usage notes

The Grand Robert has a separate noun maise, mèze or moise “herring barrel” (1320), a Picard word from Middle Dutch meise “barrel”.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert 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. 6/1, 710a
6. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert