paradis

Forms

paradis m (invariable)^[1] Old French also had the inherited form pareïs (1080), which gave way to the learned paradis.^[2][3] Anglo-Norman spellings include paradiz and paradys.^[4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ecclesiastical Latin paradīsus,^[3][2][5][6] itself from Ancient Greek παράδεισος (parádeisos, “enclosed park”), a word Greek took from Iranian.^[3][2][7] Rey and the Grand Robert trace the Greek word to the source of Avestan pairi.daēza- (“enclosure”), whose first part corresponds to περί (perí, “around”);^[2][5] Wiktionary gives the Iranian form as Proto-Iranian *paridayjah.^[1] In Greek it named the walled parks of the Persian kings and nobles, kept for wild animals, and the Septuagint used it for the garden of Genesis.^[3][2] Christian Latin then applied the word to the Garden of Eden and to the abode of the righteous in heaven, as opposed to the underworld.^[3][2]

The inherited Old French form was pareïs, which the learned form replaced; another popular form survives, with a narrower sense, as parvis, a doublet.^[2][7][1] Cognate with Occitan paradis, Spanish paraíso and Italian paradiso.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record, in the Passion du Christ (late 10th century), uses it for the place where the souls of the righteous enjoy eternal bliss: Eu t'o promet, oi en cest di Ab me venras in paradis “I promise you, this very day you will come with me into paradise”.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

From the late 12th century the word also meant perfect happiness, and by about 1278 it could name the dwelling of the pagan gods.^[3][2] The biblical garden gave paradis terrestre (about 1200), used figuratively of any rich and fertile land.^[2] It entered plant and animal names: graine de paradis (1225–1230), pomme de paradis, first the banana (1256) and later a small apple (1538), and oiseau de paradis (1560), now rivalled by the derivative paradisier (1806).^[2][3]

In the 16th and 17th centuries it named a sheltered cove in a harbour (1597) and the highest gallery of a theatre (1606), with the cheapest seats.^[3][2] Littré explains the theatre sense by the medieval mystery plays, which showed paradise above, the earth below it and hell at ground level.^[8] The idea of bliss lies behind Baudelaire's Paradis artificiels and the modern paradis fiscal (about 1950).^[2]

Timeline

• c. 980 – First record, in the Passion du Christ, for the abode of the blessed.^[3][2]
• c. 1050 – Used in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[3][7]
• 1080 – The popular form pareïs appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[2][3]
• Late 12th century – It comes to mean perfect happiness.^[3][2]
• c. 1200 – Paradis terrestre is recorded.^[2]
• 1225–1230 – Graine de paradis appears in Guillaume de Lorris's part of the Roman de la Rose.^[3]
• 1256 – Pomme de paradis names the banana.^[3][2]
• c. 1278 – Jean de Meun uses it for the dwelling of the pagan gods.^[3][2]
• 1553 – The adjective paradisiaque is borrowed from Christian Latin.^[2]
• 1597 – It names a sheltered cove in a harbour.^[3][2]
• 1606 – It names the top gallery of a theatre.^[3][2]
• 1806 – paradisier “bird of paradise” is recorded.^[2]
• c. 1950 – Paradis fiscal appears.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (religion) The place or state in which the souls of the righteous enjoy eternal bliss near God, heaven, as opposed to hell.^[9][10][11]
2. In Islam, the abode of bliss promised to the faithful.^[11]
3. Le paradis terrestre: the Garden of Eden, where God placed Adam and Eve.^[10][9]
4. (figurative) A place or state of perfect happiness, an enchanting spot: Cette vallée est un vrai paradis.^[9][10][11]
5. A place where someone finds just what they like: Ce marché est le paradis des gourmands.^[11]
6. Paradis fiscal: a tax haven.^[10][2]
7. (theatre) The highest gallery of a theatre, the gods.^[10][11][1]
8. Pommier de paradis: a dwarf apple tree used as a rootstock.^[11][2]
9. Oiseau de paradis: the bird of paradise, also called paradisier.^[10]
10. Graine de paradis: grains of paradise, the seeds of a West African spice plant.^[10][3]

Word family

• paradisier

Related words

• paradisiaque
• parvis
• Latin paradisus
• Ancient Greek παράδεισος (parádeisos)

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 t u v w x y z Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ 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
4. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 7, 615a
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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c d e f g Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
11. ^ a b c d e f Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)