Etymologically
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rencontre

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁɑ̃.kɔ̃tʁ/[1]

Forms

rencontre f (plural rencontres)[1]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French rencontrer,[2][3][4] or, according to the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert, a compound of re- and the old noun encontre for its first senses.[5][6][7] Old and Middle French had that noun for meeting someone on one's way (12th century), and the verb is based on an older encontrer (see contre).[2][4]

The word was masculine in all its senses until the 17th century, and remained so in heraldry.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Huon de Méry's Antéchrist (1234) has it, as a masculine noun, for a fight; the Grand Robert gives the 12th century for “throw of the dice” and “combat”.[2][5][3]

Semantic evolution

Rabelais's hardis à la rencontre (1534) still means bold in attack, and Montaigne has rencontres for skirmishes (1580); Froissart had already used un dur rencontre.[2][7] About 1310–40 Jean de Condé uses it for a retort, a sense of the classical bons rencontres.[2][7]

The modern sense, coming upon someone or something by chance, appears about 1485 in the Mystère du Viel Testament, and was extended to planned meetings; the Petit Robert dates the sense to 1538.[2][6] Par rencontre “by chance” is in Montaigne (1580), and de rencontre “chance, second-hand” in Regnard (1697).[2][3] Mauvaise rencontre is in Furetière (1690), and the sporting sense, a match, in the 20th century.[3][8]

Timeline

  • 1234 – “Fight”, Huon de Méry.[2]
  • 1310–40 – “Retort”, Jean de Condé.[2]
  • c. 1485 – A chance meeting.[2]
  • 1534 – Hardi à la rencontre, Rabelais.[2]
  • 1580 – Par rencontre “by chance”, Montaigne.[2]
  • 1671 – Heraldic sense, still masculine.[2]
  • 1690 – Mauvaise rencontre, Furetière.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A meeting, an encounter, by chance or arranged: faire une rencontre, aller, venir à la rencontre de quelqu'un, to go to meet someone.[6][1][3]
  2. A fixture, a match.[1][8]
  3. A clash, a skirmish, (dated) a duel.[3][2]
  4. Site de rencontres: a dating site.[1]
  5. (literary) Chance, coincidence, de rencontre, chance, casual.[6]

Usage notes

In heraldry rencontre is still masculine, a beast's head seen full face (1671).[6][2]

References

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