moult

Forms

moult (adverb, invariable)^[1][2] Old French mult, molt and mout; the spelling moult is found in 1273 in Adenet.^[3][1][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French mult, inherited from Latin multum (“much, very”), the neuter of the adjective multus (“many, abundant”) used as an adverb.^[2][5][6][3] Rey says the Latin word holds a root, probably Indo-European, also seen in melior, the source of meilleur;^[6] Wiktionary traces it to Proto-Indo-European *ml̥tós.^[1] The ⟨l⟩ of the modern spelling was silent, written after the Latin word.^[1][4]

Cognate with Old Occitan molt, Catalan molt, Spanish mucho, Portuguese muito and Italian molto.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as mult, “very, much”, in the Jonah fragment of Valenciennes (about 980): Si fut Jonas propheta mult correcious “and Jonah the prophet was very angry”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Old French used it as an adjective as well as an adverb: the Chanson de Roland has multes conoissances “many tokens”.^[7][4] It went out of general use in the 16th century, displaced by beaucoup,^[2][6][7] and in the classical period it belonged only to burlesque style.^[3] It survived for a long time in the north-east of France, where Littré heard it pronounced mou at Metz.^[2][7][4]

Elsewhere it is now used only jokingly or to imitate an old style;^[2][6] Wiktionary notes that it is heard again, often with the ⟨lt⟩ pronounced.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 980 – Mult appears in the Valenciennes fragment on Jonah.^[2][3]
• c. 1100 – The Chanson de Roland uses it as an adjective.^[4]
• 1273 – The spelling moult in Adenet.^[3]
• 16th century – It leaves general use, replaced by beaucoup.^[2][6]
• 1837 – French borrows the Italian musical term molto.^[6]

Meanings

Adverb

1. (archaic, regional or humorous) After a verb: much, a great deal: Il a moult voyagé.^[2][8]
2. Before an adjective: very: C'est moult difficile.^[2][8]
3. Before a noun, usually plural: many, a great many: moult détails.^[2][3]

Related words

• molto
• multitude
• multiple
• Latin multus

Usage notes

Agreeing it as an adjective (moultes) is considered incorrect.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f g Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/3, 210b
6. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert