mortier

Forms

mortier m (plural mortiers)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French mortier, inherited from Latin mortārium (“mortar for pounding, trough for mortar, mortar, cement”).^[2][3][4][5] The Latin word, which Rey calls of uncertain origin, already named both the vessel and what was prepared in it.^[3][4][6] In Medieval Latin it also took the senses “cloth coif lining a helmet” (1191) and “church light” (1175).^[3][2] Littré connected it with marcus and martulus (“hammer”).^[6]

Cognate with Italian mortaio, Old Occitan mortier, Catalan morter, Spanish mortero and Portuguese morteiro.^[4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Roman d'Eneas (about 1160) the word names the binding material that joins the stones of a building.^[2][3] Soon after, about 1170, the Old French Livre des Rois uses it in the Latin sense of a vessel in which substances are pounded.^[2][3][6]

Semantic evolution

From building mortar came the wider sense “thick paste” (1668, La Fontaine).^[2][3] From the vessel, by likeness of shape, came a vase of oil or wax holding a night light (13th century) and the round cap of certain dignitaries (1461, Villon).^[2][3] This was the cap of the chancellor of France and of the presidents of the parlements, who were called présidents de mortier (1595), later à mortier, and simply mortiers (1694); magistrates of the Cour des comptes and the Cour de cassation still wear it.^[2][3]

From about 1450, again from the shape, mortier named a short, large-calibre cannon (faire tirer le mortier, 1470); today it is a high-angle weapon, especially a portable infantry piece.^[2][3][4]

Timeline

• c. 1160 – The Roman d'Eneas uses it for building mortar.^[2][3]
• c. 1170 – The Livre des Rois uses it for a pounding vessel.^[2][7]
• 13th century – Used for a vase holding a night light.^[2][3]
• c. 1450 – First record of the cannon sense.^[2][3]
• 1461 – Villon uses it for a dignitary's cap.^[2][3]
• 1595 – Président de mortier is recorded at the parlement of Toulouse.^[2][3]
• 1668 – La Fontaine uses it of a thick paste.^[2][3]
• 1694 – La Bruyère calls a président à mortier simply a mortier.^[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A mortar, a heavy bowl in which substances are crushed with a pestle: Il écrasa les grains de poivre dans un mortier de pierre.^[8][9][2]
2. (military) A short cannon formerly used to fire shells; now a high-angle weapon, especially a portable infantry piece.^[8][3]
3. (historical) The round cap worn by the presidents of the parlements and the chancellor of France: président à mortier; now a cap worn by certain magistrates.^[8][2]
4. Building mortar, a mixture of slaked lime or cement, sand and water used to bind or coat stones.^[8][9]
5. (by analogy) A thick paste.^[2][3]

Related words

• Latin mortārium

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s 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 m n o p q r Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/3, 149a
6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)