suggestif

Forms

suggestif (feminine suggestive, masculine plural suggestifs, feminine plural suggestives)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from English suggestive (“that suggests”), which is derived from suggest, itself formed on Latin suggestus, the past participle of suggerō (“to bring up, supply, suggest”).^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]} The English adjective is recorded from the 17th century.^[8][7] The TLFi analyses the French word as formed on suggestion with the suffix -if, while pointing to the English model, to which an 1857 writer in the Revue des Deux Mondes explicitly referred.^[8][2] It belongs to the same family as suggérer.^[4][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

An isolated use is found in Casanova's Histoire de ma vie (written 1791–1798), of something that alludes to sex without saying so.^[8][7] The word was established in 1857 in the sense “that has a strong power of evoking ideas”, in Flaubert's letters and in the Revue des Deux Mondes, where the writer still called it an English word.^[8][2]

Semantic evolution

From 1857 the adjective was applied to whatever has the power to call up ideas, images and feelings;^[7][8][3] Baudelaire called Delacroix the most suggestive of painters.^[7][8][3] In 1862 it was used of art that suggests ideas rather than stating them,^[8] and in 1888 of what has to do with the force of suggestion, especially under hypnosis.^[8]

The erotic sense, first met in Casanova, was taken up again in 1889 by the Goncourts.^[8][7][3] Rey notes that this value, which suggérer and suggestion do not normally have, sets the adjective apart from the rest of the family.^[7] The noun suggestivité followed in 1904.^[8][7]

Timeline

• 1791–1798 – Casanova uses it of an indirect sexual allusion.^[8]
• 1857 – Flaubert uses it of something with a strong power of evocation; the Revue des Deux Mondes uses it as an English word.^[8][2][3]
• 1862 – Used of what suggests ideas rather than expressing them.^[8]
• 1888 – Anatole France uses it of the force of suggestion.^[8]
• 1889 – The Goncourts' Journal uses it of what suggests erotic ideas.^[8][3][5]
• 1904 – The derivative suggestivité is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. That has the power to call up ideas, images or feelings; evocative: un paysage très suggestif.^[5][8][3]
2. That suggests erotic ideas, provocative: une robe suggestive.^[5][3][8]
3. (psychology) Relating to the force of suggestion, especially under hypnosis.^[8]

Word family

• suggestivité

Related words

• suggérer
• suggestion
• Latin suggerō
• English suggestive

Usage notes

Anglo-Norman had an adjective suggestif, recorded in 1346, in the sense “alleged”.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s 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
9. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)