serpenter

Forms

serpenter^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French serpent + -er,^[2][1][3][4] the noun being from Latin serpens, literally “the creeping one”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Jean Le Fèvre uses it about 1370 in his Lamentations de Matheolus for following a twisting, winding course.^[2][5] The Grand Robert and the GLLF date the same author's use to about 1340.^[4][6]

Semantic evolution

From about 1650 it was also said of people moving in a winding line.^[5] The GLLF dates this use to 1690 (Regnard).^[6] A figurative sense, “to creep in insidiously”, used by Diderot (1765), has disappeared.^[2][5]

The verb gave serpentant (1564) and serpentement, first “winding path” (1614), later a term of mathematics (1754).^[5][2]

Timeline

• c. 1370 – Jean Le Fèvre uses it for a winding course.^[2][5]
• 1564 – The adjective serpentant is recorded.^[5]
• 1614 – The derivative serpentement appears.^[5][2]
• c. 1650 – It is used of people moving in a winding line.^[5]
• 1765 – Diderot uses it figuratively for creeping in insidiously.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. Of rivers, roads and the like: to wind, to follow a sinuous course: Le sentier serpente entre les vignes.^[7][2][8]
2. Of people: to move along in a winding line: La file d’attente serpentait jusqu’au coin de la rue.^[6][2]
3. (horse riding) To ride a horse along a wavy track.^[9]

Word family

• serpentement

Related words

• serpent
• serpenteau
• Latin serpens

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
9. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette