symboliste

Forms

symboliste (plural symbolistes)^[1]

Etymology

It is a derivative from French symbolisme, with -iste in place of -isme.^[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary analyses it instead as formed on symbole and credits the coinage to Paul Verlaine in 1885;^[1] the TLFi, the Grand Robert and the DHLF date the literary word to 1885 in Jean Moréas.^[2][3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Flaubert used it in a letter of 1856, calling Dumesnil “le curieux symboliste”, apparently for someone who expresses himself through symbols; the TLFi calls the sense uncertain and compares Flaubert's repeated phrase curieux symbolisme.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In August 1885 Jean Moréas wrote in the newspaper Le XIXe Siècle that critics could more fittingly call the “decadent” poets symbolistes, and the word became the name of the followers of the literary and artistic movement.^[2][6][5] As an adjective it was applied to people by 1889 (Valéry) and to things by 1890, when Anatole France wrote of la poésie symboliste.^[2] Opponents of the movement mocked its members with the derogatory symbolard (1898, Daudet).^[5]

Timeline

• 1856 – Flaubert uses it in his letters.^[2][3]
• 1885 – Jean Moréas applies it to the new poets in Le XIXe Siècle.^[2][6]
• 1889 – Valéry uses it as an adjective of people.^[2]
• 1890 – Anatole France writes la poésie symboliste.^[2]
• 1890 – Maupassant uses it of an adherent of symbolism.^[6]
• 1898 – Daudet's mocking symbolard appears.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or belonging to symbolism in literature and art: un recueil symboliste.^[2][4][7]
2. Tending to express oneself through symbols.^[7]

Noun

1. A symbolist, an adherent of the symbolist movement.^[4][7][2]

Related words

• symbolisme
• symbole
• symbolard

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 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 Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)