préliminaire

Forms

préliminaire (plural préliminaires)^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin praeliminaris,^[3][1][4] formed of prae (“before”) and līminaris (“of the threshold”), the base of liminaire.^[3][4] The word seems to have entered general use after the treaties of Westphalia (1648), when its plural named the negotiations that prepared them.^[3][4][1] Littré and the GLLF analyse it as formed from French pré- + liminaire.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1671, in Pomey's dictionary, both as an adjective and as a masculine plural noun.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

Taken up for the preliminary talks of the Westphalian peace, the plural préliminaires kept the sense of negotiations preparing a treaty or armistice;^[4][7] Littré gives les préliminaires de la paix.^[5] By extension the singular came to mean anything that prepares a more important event, and the word became more usual than liminaire.^[4] The adjective, “coming before and preparing the main thing”, is found from 1671,^[4][3] as in the Discours préliminaire that d'Alembert wrote for the Encyclopédie.^[6] In law, the préliminaire de conciliation is the attempt at settlement required before a lawsuit.^[5][7] In the plural it also means sexual foreplay.^[7][2]

Timeline

• After 1648 – The word spreads with the negotiations of the treaties of Westphalia.^[3][4][1]
• 1671 – Pomey records it as an adjective and as a plural noun.^[3][6]
• 1757 – The derivative préliminairement appears.^[4]
• 1869 – Littré records articles préliminaires.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Coming before and preparing something more important; preliminary, see préalable, préparatoire.^[7][3][8]
2. Discours préliminaire: an introduction or preface.^[7]

Noun

1. (in the plural) The negotiations that prepare a treaty or an armistice.^[7][5]
2. Whatever prepares a more important act or event; a prelude.^[7][4]
3. (law) Préliminaire de conciliation: the attempt at conciliation required before a lawsuit.^[7][5]
4. (in the plural) Foreplay.^[2][7]

Word family

• préliminairement

Related words

• liminaire
• Latin līmen

References

1. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
2. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
3. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)