têtière

Forms

têtière f (plural têtières)^[1] Old French testiere; the spelling têtière dates from the 17th century.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French tête + -ière in Old French.^{[2][4][1][5][6]} Cognate with Italian testiera and Old Occitan testiera.^[7][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Chrétien de Troyes uses testiere in the Conte du Graal (1181–1190) for the harness of a horse's head, to which the bit and bridle are fastened.^[2] The GLLF and Rey date it about 1175 and give the first sense as a piece of armour covering the head of a warrior.^[3][8]

Semantic evolution

In the Middle Ages the word named armour for the head of a warrior or of his horse (13th century).^[8][9] From the early 16th century it also named a fool's cap, and it lived on in some regional speech for various bonnets, hoods and headdresses;^[2][10] in 1680 Richelet records it for a newborn baby's linen bonnet.^[2][8]

The modern senses name things placed at the head of an object.^[8] In 1639 it named the trimming of lace or guipure that protects the top of a chair back, now a headrest cover;^[2][9] it then became a technical word, in printing for a piece of furniture placed at the head of pages (1769), at sea for the upper edge of a square sail (1771), and in locksmithing for the faceplate of a lock (1881).^[2][8]

Timeline

• 1181–1190 – Testiere is used of a horse's head harness in Chrétien de Troyes's Conte du Graal.^[2]
• 13th century – The Assises de Jérusalem use it for iron armour covering a horse's head.^[7][3]
• Early 16th century – It names a fool's cap.^[2]
• 1639 – Used of a trimming for the top of a chair back.^[2][9]
• 1680 – Richelet records it for a baby's bonnet.^[2][3]
• 1769 – First recorded as a printing term.^[2][8]
• 1771 – The Dictionnaire de Trévoux records the sailing sense.^[2][3]
• 1881 – First recorded in locksmithing.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. The part of a bridle that passes behind a horse's ears and holds up the bit, the headstall.^[9][2][1]
2. (historical) A piece of armour covering a horse's whole head.^[9][1]
3. A cover or small cushion fixed to the back of an armchair or sofa where the head rests, an antimacassar.^[9][2]
4. (nautical) The upper edge of a square sail.^[9][2]
5. (printing) A piece of furniture placed at the head of the pages when a forme is imposed.^[9][2]
6. (locksmithing) The faceplate of a lock.^[1][2]
7. (obsolete) A small bonnet for a newborn baby.^[2][3]

Related words

• tête
• têtu
• têtard
• entêter

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t 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 e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/1, 278b