morose

Forms

morose (plural moroses)^[1] First spelled moroze.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin mōrōsus (“hard to please, peevish”), a derivative of mōs (“custom, character”), here in the sense “whim, difficult temper”.^[2][3][4][5] Bloch and Wartburg gloss the Latin adjective as “scrupulous, severe”.^[6] It came in late: the noun morosité, borrowed from Latin mōrōsitās, is older (1486).^[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as moroze in 1618, in the pamphlet La Chasse au vieil grognard de l'antiquité, meaning “gloomy, sullen”.^[2][3] Bloch and Wartburg and the Petit Robert date it to 1615.^[6][7]

Semantic evolution

The word stayed rare until the 18th century, according to Rey, or the 19th, according to the Grand Robert.^[3][4] The Académie recorded its use for what shows a gloomy sadness (air morose) in 1762, and Victor Hugo used it in 1822 of what brings sadness.^[8] In the 20th century its sense is sometimes weakened to “without cheerfulness”.^[3]

The noun morosité, also rare before the middle of the 18th century, came back into use around 1971 for a dull political climate or a lack of drive in a social group.^[3]

Timeline

• 1486 – The noun morosité is borrowed from Latin.^[3][6]
• 1618 – Moroze appears in La Chasse au vieil grognard de l'antiquité.^[2]
• 1762 – The Académie records its use of a look or face showing gloom.^[8]
• 1822 – Victor Hugo uses it of what causes sadness.^[8]
• 1863 – Littré records the theological phrase délectation morose.^[4][3]
• 1971 – Morosité is used of a gloomy political and social climate.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of a person: gloomy, sullen, in a mood that nothing can brighten.^[7][8][1]
2. Of a thing: marked by or causing gloom, dreary: un dimanche morose.^[7][8]

Related words

• morosité
• mœurs
• Latin mōrōsus
• Latin mōs

Usage notes

The Grand Robert has a second adjective morose (its 2.), the theological term in délectation morose, the sinful lingering on the thought of a bad act without meaning to commit it; it is recorded in 1863 by Littré and is from Late Latin morosus “slow”, a derivative of Latin mora (“delay”).^[4][7][3] Rey adds that Middle French had morose “troublesome, causing delay” (1343), and that the phrase, now read as if it held the common adjective, is no longer understood.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/3, 140a
6. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse