régularité

Forms

régularité f (plural régularités)^[1] Middle French also had the less learned form regulaireté (about 1370).^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is a learned derivative from Latin rēgulāris (“serving as a rule”) with the suffix -ité,^[5][2][3] the Latin adjective that gave régulier.^[5][4] Wiktionary allows either a French formation from the adjective or a borrowing from rēgulāritās.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Oresme uses it about 1370 of a movement that keeps a regular rhythm (regularité de mouvement), and about 1377 for the right proportions of a body.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

From the uniformity of a movement and the equal sides and angles of a geometric figure (about 1370), the word passed to morals in 1581.^[2][5] Classical French used it in aesthetics: La Fontaine (1666) speaks of conformity to the literary rules, and Molière (1669) of les régularités de notre art, the rules of an art, a sense since lost.^[5][2] Harmonious proportion, especially in architecture, is recorded in 1680, the steady recurrence of an event in Racine (1692), and the strict observance of a religious rule in 1688.^[2][5]

The moral sense of observing the duties of morality and religion has disappeared.^[2] In the 19th century legal usage added conformity to the law, found in Madame de Staël in 1810.^[2][5]

Timeline

• c. 1370 – Oresme uses regularité de mouvement.^[5][6]
• c. 1377 – Oresme uses it for right proportions.^[5]
• 1581 – First used of conformity to moral rules.^[5][2]
• 1666 – La Fontaine uses it of conformity to literary rules.^[5]
• 1669 – Molière writes les régularités de notre art.^[5]
• 1688 – Miège records the strict observance of a monastic rule.^[5][2]
• 1692 – Racine uses it of things happening at constant intervals.^[5]
• 1810 – Madame de Staël uses it of conformity to the law.^[5][2]

Meanings

Noun

1. Evenness of a movement, or uniformity, steadiness: la régularité de son allure.^[7][5]
2. The fact of occurring at regular intervals: la régularité des trains.^[7][5]
3. Regular proportions, symmetry: la régularité d'un jardin.^[7][6]
4. Conformity to the law or to rules: la régularité d'une élection.^[5][6]
5. (geometry) The equality of all the sides and angles of a figure.^[6][2]
6. Strict observance of a monastic rule.^[6][2]

Related words

• régulier
• irrégularité
• règle
• Latin rēgulāris

References

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