pieux

Forms

pieux (feminine pieuse, masculine plural pieux, feminine plural pieuses)^[1] Old French piu, pieu, pi (subject case pius, pieus, pis), feminine pieue, pive.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle French pieux, inherited from Old French piu, inherited from Latin pius (“dutiful towards the gods, parents and country”), refashioned on the model of the adjectives in -eux.^[4][2][3][1] The modern form is attested in the first quarter of the 15th century, in a manuscript of Eustache Deschamps.^[4][5] Littré notes that the Old French word was always one syllable and was treated like dieu from deus.^[6]

The Latin adjective also gave pie² and Italian pio and Spanish pío.^[2][3] Rey calls it an Italic word, with no sure relatives elsewhere; a link with Latin pūrus has often been proposed but cannot be proved.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Passion of Clermont (late 10th century) it is said of Christ, Jesus li pius, meaning “good, merciful”, and the Last Supper is called piu manjer.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

After its first use for God, it came mainly to mean “devout, observing the practices of religion”, of a person, then from 1656 (Pascal) “inspired by piety”, of thoughts and acts.^[4][2][5] Like piété, it is also used outside religion, for what is inspired by a respectful affection towards someone (1644, Corneille) and for a person full of such affection (1704).^[4][2]

It sometimes carries an ironic shade, as in croyance pieuse (1798) and pieux mensonge (1842, Balzac).^[2][4] The adverb pieusement (late 16th century) was formed on the feminine and replaced the old piament.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 980 – The Passion of Clermont calls Christ li pius.^[4][5]
• c. 1200 – The form pieus appears.^[5]
• early 15th century – Pieux is found in a manuscript of Eustache Deschamps.^[4]
• 1644 – Corneille uses it for respectful affection.^[4]
• 1656 – Pascal speaks of a pieuse réflexion.^[4]
• 1798 – The Académie records croyance pieuse.^[4]
• 1842 – Balzac uses pieux mensonge.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Pious, devout: moved or inspired by piété.^[7][4]
2. Pieux mensonge: a lie told out of kindness, a white lie.^[7][4]
3. Vœu pieux: a wish that is unlikely to be fulfilled.^[7]
4. Croyance pieuse: a belief recommended by piety but not an article of faith.^[7][6]
5. (literary) Full of respectful affection: un pieux souvenir.^[7][4]

Word family

• pieusement

Related words

• piété
• impie
• pitié
• Latin pius

References

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