preux

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pʁø/^[1]

Forms

preux (feminine preuse, masculine plural preux, feminine plural preuses)^[1] Old French proz, pros, pruz, preuz (nominative), prou, preu (oblique); preux from about 1382.^[2][3][4][5]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French proz, inherited from Late Latin *prōdis,^[2][4][6][7] an adjective formed on Late Latin prōde (“useful, profitable”), attested from the 4th century in “prode est”, a wrong division of prōdest (“it is useful”), third person of Latin prōsum (“to be useful”), made on the model of “pote est” beside “potest”.^[2][6][3][8] The neuter prōde also gave Old French preu (“profit”), surviving in prou.^[2][6][1]

Compare Old Occitan pros and Italian prode.^[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Chanson de Roland (about 1100) has the famous line “Rollant est proz e Oliver est sage”, Roland is brave and Oliver is wise.^[9][5][10]

Semantic evolution

The original idea of usefulness underlies all its uses:^[2] of things it meant good, of good quality,^[2][5] and of people it specialised in the language of chivalry as “valiant”, synonymous with vaillant.^[9][2] As a noun un preux is a hero of chivalry; the Neuf Preux, the Nine Worthies, appear about 1382.^[9][4]

The word is now literary or archaic, used of medieval knights.^[10][4] Derivatives are prouesse (about 1080) and the compound prud'homme “wise and loyal man”, later a member of an industrial tribunal (1806), whence prude.^[6]

Timeline

• 4th century – Late Latin prode est.^[2][4]
• c. 1080 – Prouesse.^[6]
• c. 1100 – Proz (Roland).^[9][4]
• c. 1175 – Preu (Chrétien de Troyes).^[4]
• c. 1382 – Preux; the Nine Worthies.^[9][2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (literary) Valiant, doughty: un preux chevalier.^[10][1]

Noun

1. A valiant knight of the Middle Ages: Charlemagne et ses preux.^[10][4]

Word family

• prouesse

Related words

• prou
• prude
• prud'homme

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 418b
8. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
9. ^ a b c d e 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
10. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert