serpent

Forms

serpent m (plural serpents, feminine serpente)^[1] Old French also sarpent, sometimes feminine, and a feminine serpente.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin serpentem (“snake”), the accusative of the Latin noun, which is the present participle of serpō (“to creep”) used as a noun.^[4][2][5] The Latin noun, “the creeping one”, was probably a euphemism that replaced the older anguis, the name of a harmful animal people avoided saying.^[3][6][2] The Latin verb is related to Ancient Greek ἕρπω (hérpō, “to creep”) and goes back to an Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *serp-.^[2][7] Much of Romance continues instead a popular form Vulgar Latin *serpem, as in Italian serpe and Spanish sierpe.^[3][8]

Cognate with Italian serpente, Catalan serpent, Spanish serpiente and Portuguese serpente.^[8][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Chanson de Roland (about 1100), meaning a snake: Serpens e guivres, dragon e aversier.^[4][7]

Semantic evolution

Besides snakes, the word was used of legless lizards such as the slow-worm (about 1130), later serpent de verre (1791), and of eel-like fish; the marin serpent of the early 12th century became the serpent de mer (1855), a fabled sea monster and, figuratively, a stale story that comes back in the press.^[2][4] From the snake of the Bible it meant a wicked person (about 1175), and since 1501 the Devil.^[2][4] Réchauffer un serpent dans son sein “to help an ungrateful person” dates from 1662.^[2]

By likeness it named something long and winding, and in particular an old wind instrument bent several times (1636).^[2] Names of species include serpent à sonnettes “rattlesnake” (1680) and serpent à lunettes “cobra” (1765).^[4][2] In 1972 serpent monétaire named the European agreement limiting exchange-rate swings.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Serpent appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[4]
• early 12th century – Marins serpenz “sea serpent” in the Voyage of Saint Brendan.^[4]
• c. 1175 – Used of a wicked person.^[2]
• 1501 – Used of the Devil.^[4]
• 1636 – Names a wind instrument.^[2]
• 1680 – Richelet records serpent à sonnette.^[4]
• 1855 – Nerval uses serpent de mer.^[4]
• 1972 – Serpent monétaire is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A snake, a legless reptile that moves by waving its body: serpent venimeux.^[9][1]
2. Serpent à sonnette: a rattlesnake, also serpent à lunettes a cobra.^[9][4]
3. The serpent that tempted Eve, the devil.^[9][2]
4. A treacherous, wicked person.^[9][2]
5. Serpent de mer: a fabled sea monster, and figuratively a stale topic that comes back in the press.^[9][4]
6. An old bass wind instrument bent several times, a serpent, once used in churches without organs.^[9][2]
7. (economics) Serpent monétaire européen: the European currency snake.^[9]

Word family

• serpenteau
• serpenter

Related words

• Latin serpēns

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d 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 g h i j k l 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. 11, 519b
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
9. ^ 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