sarcastique

Forms

sarcastique (plural sarcastiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is from French sarcasme, irregularly formed: the ending follows the pattern of enthousiasme beside enthousiaste, with the suffix of ironique.^[2][3][4][5] Chamfort had used sarcasmatique in 1794.^[2][4] The Grand Robert and Petit Robert derive it instead from Greek;^[6][7] Wiktionary takes the Modern Greek σαρκαστικός (sarkastikós) to be a borrowing from French.^[1]

Sarcasme is Latin sarcasmus, from Ancient Greek σαρκασμός (sarkasmós), derived from σαρκάζω (sarkázō), “to tear the flesh”.^[3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1805, in Benjamin Constant’s journals, of a person given to sarcasm.^[2][4] Bloch and Wartburg and the Grand Larousse also cite Madame de Staël.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first described what has the bitter, cutting character of sarcasm; from about 1840 (in Bescherelle, 1845–1846) it came into common use for “mocking and spiteful”.^[4][5] The adverb sarcastiquement was formed in the 20th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 1794 – Chamfort uses the form sarcasmatique.^[2]
• 1805 – Benjamin Constant uses sarcastique.^[2]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records the sense “given to sarcasm”, of people.^[5]
• 20th century – The adverb sarcastiquement appears.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (literary) Having the bitter, cutting character of sarcasm: une remarque sarcastique.^[7][8]
2. Mocking and spiteful, sarcastic, of a tone or look: un rire sarcastique.^[7][1]
3. Of a person, given to sarcasm.^[5][2]

Word family

• sarcastiquement

Related words

• sarcasme

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette