recueillir

Forms

recueillir^[1] Old French recuillir (1080), recoillir (about 1155), then recueillir (about 1188) after cueillir.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French recoillir, inherited from Latin recolligō (“to gather together again, collect”).^{[4][2][1][5][6]} The Latin verb is formed re- with an intensive force and colligō (“to gather”), the source of cueillir and accueillir.^[2][4][3] Its history ran parallel to theirs.^[6][2] Middle French also borrowed the Latin verb as the learned recolliger.^[2]

Cognate with Italian raccogliere, Spanish recoger, Portuguese recolher, Catalan recullir and Old Occitan recoillir.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) recuillir means “to gather up so as not to lose”, of the hearts of the dead, and requeillir “to receive” a gift.^[4][7]

Semantic evolution

In the 12th century it was used for gathering the fruits of the earth (Chrétien de Troyes, 1172–1190), for catching what flows or spills (before 1188) and for taking a person in (Wace, 1155).^[4] Its farming sense gave way to récolter, but it is still used of other produce and, figuratively, of reaping a reward; until the 16th century it also meant “to welcome”.^[2][6]

From the 16th century it meant compiling texts (1538), counting votes (1559) and receiving an inheritance (1690).^[4] The reflexive se recueillir meant “to embark” in the late 12th century.^[4] From 1559 it meant “to collect one's thoughts”; the religious sense of meditation is recorded in 1683 and may owe something to Church Latin.^[4][6]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Recuillir and requeillir in the Chanson de Roland.^[4]
• 1155 – Wace's Brut uses it for “to take in” a person.^[4]
• 1172–1190 – Chrétien de Troyes uses it of gathering crops.^[4]
• c. 1195 – Sei recoillir “to embark” in Ambroise.^[4]
• 1538 – Estienne records it for compiling texts.^[4]
• 1559 – Amyot uses soy recueillir “to collect oneself” and the sense of counting votes.^[4]
• 1683 – Fléchier uses it of religious meditation.^[4]
• 1690 – Furetière records the sense “to inherit”.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To gather, collect for later use: recueillir le miel.^[8][9]
2. (figurative) To reap a benefit: recueillir le fruit de son travail.^[8][2]
3. To bring together scattered things, collect: recueillir des signatures, recueillir des témoignages.^[8][4]
4. To catch and hold in a container what flows: recueillir l'eau de pluie.^[8][4]
5. To note and keep a remark, a statement.^[8]
6. To receive by inheritance.^[8][4]
7. To obtain, win, of votes: recueillir des suffrages.^[8][4]
8. To take in, give refuge to someone in need: recueillir un chien perdu.^[8][1]
9. (reflexive) Se recueillir: to collect one's thoughts, and in religion, to meditate, as at a grave.^[8][1]

Word family

• recueil

Related words

• accueillir
• cueillir
• recueillement
• recueilli
• Latin recolligō

Usage notes

The Grand Robert enters a second recueillir, “to pick again”, made of re- and cueillir.^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s 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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 900b
6. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ 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
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert