moiteur

Forms

moiteur f (plural moiteurs)^[1] Old French moistour, moisteur and moistor; the form moiteur is found about 1380.^[2][3][4][5]

Etymology

It is formed from French moite + -eur.^[2][1][3] The TLFi and Bloch and Wartburg explain the adjective moite as a crossing of Vulgar Latin *mūcidus (Classical Latin mūcidus (“snotty, mouldy”)) with the descendants of mustum (“must”).^[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1265 in Brunetto Latini's Trésor, as la moistour de la terre “the moisture of the earth”.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The word first meant moisture or dampness in general, as moite was the ordinary Old French word for “wet” until humide replaced it in the 17th century and left it with its present weaker sense.^[6][2] Froissart and Christine de Pizan used moisteur of the body's humours.^[7] About 1530 Clément Marot used it for the light sweat on the skin.^[5] The modern spelling became the usual one in the 17th century;^[2][4] Furetière's dictionary has la moiteur des draps in 1690.^[2][4]

Timeline

• c. 1265 – Moistour in Brunetto Latini's Trésor.^[2][7]
• c. 1380 – The form moiteur appears in the Aalma glossary.^[5][3]
• c. 1530 – Clément Marot uses it of light sweat.^[5]
• 1690 – Furetière records la moiteur des draps.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. Slight dampness, humidity, as in la moiteur d’une serre.^[8][9][10]
2. The state of skin covered with light sweat, or that sweat itself, as in une moiteur lui couvrait les tempes.^[8][10][5]

Related words

• moite
• moisir

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)