Etymologically
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remonter

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁə.mɔ̃.te/[1]

Forms

remonter[1]

Etymology

It is from French re- + monter.[2][3][4][1][5] monter is from Vulgar Latin *montāre, derived from Latin mōns (“mountain”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne (about 1140) remuntent li barun means “the barons mount their horses again”.[7][8]

Semantic evolution

In the 12th century it meant to go up again (Gautier d'Arras), of things to rise again (Chrétien de Troyes, 1176), and transitively to put back in the saddle (about 1165) and to provide a rider with a fresh horse.[7] From 1411 it meant to reassemble what had been taken apart, and, from 1590 to wind a clock or watch.[7] Going upstream, toward the source, is in Ronsard (1559), and figuratively going back to an origin or an earlier date in Bossuet (1669); remonter au déluge dates from 1694–1718.[7] Remonter quelqu'un “to cheer up” is found in 1549 and again from 1814, and remonter le moral in Flaubert (1842).[7] Of prices it means to go up again (1770), of clothing to ride up (1690), and roses that flower again are remontantes (1842).[7][9]

Timeline

  • c. 1140 – “To remount”, Pèlerinage de Charlemagne.[7]
  • 1411 – To reassemble (an organ).[7]
  • 1543 – Remontage.[6]
  • 1559 – “To go upstream”, Ronsard.[7]
  • 1590 – To wind a watch.[7]
  • 1669 – “To go back to the origin”, Bossuet.[7]
  • 1770 – Of the exchange rate, “to rise again”.[7]
  • 1842 – Remonter le moral, Flaubert.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To go back up, come back up: remonter au premier étage, remonter dans la voiture.[3][1]
  2. To rise again: la température remonte, remonter dans l'estime de quelqu'un.[3][1]
  3. Remonter à: to date back to, go back to: cela remonte à loin.[1][7]
  4. (transitive) To go back up; to go up (a river, a street): remonter la Seine, remonter le temps.[1][7]
  5. To take or bring back up; to raise: remonter ses manches.[1][7]
  6. To wind (up): remonter une montre.[1][7]
  7. To reassemble: remonter un moteur.[7][3]
  8. To cheer up, buck up: remonter le moral.[1][7]
  9. Of clothing, to ride up.[1][9]

Word family

  • remontant
  • remontée
  • remonte-pente
  • remontoir
  • remontage

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/3, 109b
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF