Etymologically
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soirée

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /swa.ʁe/[1]

Forms

soirée f (plural soirées)[1] Old French seree (about 1250; 1180 according to the Grand Robert), still used in the 16th century, soirée from 1564 (Thierry).[2][3][4] Dialects have serée (Poitou) and série (Normandy).[5]

Etymology

It is from French soir + -ée.[2][3][4][1] “Soir” is from Latin sērō (“late”), an adverb, Old French “seree” was remade as “soirée” after it.[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Péan Gatineau's Vie de saint Martin (about 1250) seree is the time from the end of the day until bedtime.[2]

Semantic evolution

A letter of remission of 1380 uses scerie for an evening gathering.[2] In Flaubert's correspondence (1843) soirée is an evening performance at the theatre, as opposed to the matinée.[2] Evening dress was toilette de soirée by 1844 and habit de soirée in Taine (1867).[6][2]

Timeline

  • c. 1250 – Seree, the evening.[2]
  • 1380 – Scerie, an evening gathering.[2]
  • 1564 – The form soirée.[2]
  • 1843 – An evening performance, Flaubert.[2]
  • 1844 – Toilette de soirée.[6]
  • 1867 – Habit de soirée, Taine.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The evening, from nightfall until bedtime: en fin de soirée, bonne soirée ![3][1]
  2. An evening party or gathering: donner une soirée, soirée dansante, tenue de soirée, evening dress.[1][2]
  3. An evening performance: en soirée, as opposed to en matinée.[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 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF