teinture

Forms

teinture f (plural teintures)^[1] Old French tainture;^[2][3] Anglo-Norman also tenture and teynture.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French tainture, inherited from Latin tinctūra (“dyeing”), a noun formed on tinctum, the supine of tingō (“to dye”).^[2][4][5][6] It belongs with teindre, which continues the Latin verb.^[2][7]

Cognate with Italian tintura, Spanish tintura, Old Occitan tenchura and Walloon teinteur.^[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is tainture in the Roman de Renart (1174–1200), meaning a colouring matter.^[2] The GLLF finds it slightly earlier in the Roman d'Alexandre, of a person's complexion, and the Grand Robert and the DHLF date tainture to 1209, in the general sense “colour”.^[4][7][6]

Semantic evolution

The old general sense “colour”, especially the colour a liquid leaves on a body or surface, was in use from the early 13th century and lasted in classical French until the 18th century.^[6][2] From 1260 the word named the act and craft of dyeing, and by metonymy its result, then the dye itself (1404).^[6][4]

In pharmacy it has meant a medicinal solution since 1516;^[6][2] teinture d'iode was common until iodine was largely given up as a wound disinfectant.^[6][2] A preparation for colouring the hair is recorded in 1490, but this use seems not to have been taken up again before the early 20th century.^[6][4]

The figurative sense “impression left by something” (Montaigne, 1588) has died out, while “superficial knowledge” (1640) survives, mostly with a slighting tone, as in une vague teinture de.^[6][2][10]

Timeline

• 1174–1200 – Tainture “colouring matter” appears in the Roman de Renart.^[2]
• 1209 – Tainture “colour”.^[6][7]
• 1244 – The derivative tainturier “dyer” is recorded.^[11][6]
• 1260 – Étienne Boileau's Livre des métiers uses it for the act of dyeing.^[2][6]
• 1490 – A translation of Lanfranc's surgery uses it for hair dye.^[2][6]
• 1516 – First used in pharmacy.^[2][6]
• 1588 – Montaigne uses it for a trace or impression left by something.^[2][6]
• 1640 – Oudin records prendre la teinture de quelque science, of a smattering of learning.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. The process or craft of dyeing a textile or other material.^[10][2][12]
2. The colour so obtained.^[10][2]
3. A dye, a colouring substance used for dyeing.^[10][12][13]
4. A dye for the hair or beard.^[10][12]
5. (pharmacy) A tincture, a solution of active substances in alcohol: teinture d'iode.^[13][12]
6. (figurative) A superficial knowledge of something.^[10][13]

Word family

• teinturerie
• teinturier

Related words

• teindre
• teint
• teinte
• Latin tinctūra

References

1. ^ a b 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 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 Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/1, 338b
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
10. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
12. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
13. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)