Etymologically
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reste

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁɛst/[1]

Forms

reste m (plural restes)[1]

Etymology

It is a noun formed from the verb rester.[2][3][1][4] “Rester” is from Latin restō (“to stay behind, remain”).[3] The word was feminine at first, from 1230 to the end of the 16th century, a gender that survived in “à toute reste” until the 17th century, but the masculine prevailed from the 16th century.[2][3][5] Littré held that German “Rast” and English “rest” “repose” had no part in its formation.[4]

Compare Italian resto and Spanish resto.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1230 in La petite philosophie, as a feminine noun meaning “what remains”.[5]

Semantic evolution

In 1324 it meant the part of a sum still to be paid, whence être en reste (1538), demeurer en reste (1414–1416) and n'être jamais en reste (1835).[5] Jouer de son reste “to use one's last resources” is from 1604, donner son reste à quelqu'un Molière's (1673), and ne pas demander son reste “to make off without more ado” is recorded by the Académie in 1694.[5] It meant the time still to come in 1445, and became a term of arithmetic, the remainder, in 1754.[5] Du reste and au reste “besides” and the plural les restes “leftovers, remains” are in common use.[7][1]

Timeline

  • c. 1230 – Feminine reste “what remains”.[5]
  • 1324 – The balance of a sum owed.[5]
  • 1445 – “The time still to come”.[5]
  • 1538 – Être en reste.[5]
  • 1604 – Jouer de son reste.[5]
  • 1694 – Ne pas demander son reste.[5]
  • 1754 – The remainder in arithmetic.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The rest, remainder: le reste de la journée.[1][5]
  2. Les restes: leftovers; remains, mortal remains.[1]
  3. A trace, vestige: un reste d'espoir.[1]
  4. (mathematics) The remainder.[1][5]
  5. Du reste, au reste: besides, moreover.[7]
  6. Être en reste: to be in someone's debt, ne pas demander son reste: to leave without further ado.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert