puis

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɥi/^[1]

Forms

puis^[1] Old French pois and puis.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *postius (“afterwards”), a remaking of Latin post (“after, behind”) or of posteā (“afterwards”) on the model of melius (“better”); in the same way “*antius” gave Old French ainz (“before”) (see aîné).^[4][3][5][6] “Posteā” itself survives in Italian poscia and Old Occitan poissas.^[3][5]

Wiktionary compares Portuguese pois, Spanish pues, Italian poi and Romanian apoi.^[1] In Old French “puis” was also a preposition meaning “since” (about 1050 to the 16th century), the basis of depuis and puisque.^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1050 in the Vie de saint Alexis in the sense “afterwards, later”.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

Like the Latin word, puis marks succession in time.^[3] The redundant puis après (late 12th century) was still current in the 17th century and survives in dialects, and in the French of Savoy, Isère and Drôme puis strengthens a statement (c'est puis trop cher).^[3][2] It also marks succession in space as seen by an observer (about 1160) and introduces a new item in a list (before 1207).^[3][2]

Et puis (about 1160) sets off the next act or circumstance; from the late 16th century it introduces an additional reason, and in 1660 a restriction.^[3][2] Et puis ? asks what happened next or expresses doubt (1636).^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1050 – Puis “afterwards” in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[4]
• c. 1160 – Et puis, and spatial succession, in Benoît de Sainte-Maure.^[2][3]
• Late 12th century – Puis après.^[2]
• Before 1207 – Introducing an item in a list, in Villehardouin.^[2]
• 1464 – Et puis as an exclamation, in Pathelin.^[4]
• 1636 – Et puis ?^[3][2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Then, next, afterwards: Il s'y prit mal, puis un peu mieux, puis bien.^[2][7]
2. Further on, in space: À gauche, la halle aux blés, puis le marché.^[7]
3. Et puis: and then; introducing the last item of a list.^[7][3]
4. Et puis: besides, what is more.^[2][3]
5. Et puis ?: and then?, so what?^[3]

Conjunction

1. And.^[1]

Word family

• depuis
• puisque

Related words

• Latin post

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 k Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 241b
7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert