Etymologically
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terrain

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /tɛ.ʁɛ̃/[1]

Forms

terrain m (plural terrains)[1] Terrein, terrain (1155); in the 17th century Vaugelas, Richelet and the Académie tried to restore terrein, which Littré still preferred, in vain.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *terrānum, with a change of suffix from Latin terrēnum (“ground, soil”), the neuter used as a noun of “terrēnus” “of earth”, from Latin terra (“earth”) (see terre).[2][3][4][5] Compare Italian terreno, Spanish terreno and Old Occitan terren, Catalan “terreny” is from French.[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Wace's Brut (1155) has terrein for dry land as opposed to the sand of the shore, a sense taken over by terre, and terrain for the ground where a battle is fought.[2][3][7]

Semantic evolution

From the battlefield come gagner du terrain (1646), perdre (du) terrain (1654; about 1770, Rousseau) and aller sur le terrain for a duel (1846).[2][3][8] Old and Middle French also used it as an adjective, “earthly” as opposed to heavenly or spiritual, a role later taken by terrestre.[3] From the 17th century it was the ground considered for its nature (1669–1671) and a riding track (1678), whence tâter le terrain, said of a horse (1690) and soon figuratively (1691).[2][3]

Figuratively it meant the conditions of an activity (Sorel, 1671, connaître le terrain, 1676, terrain d'entente), and, from 1828–1835 a geological formation.[2][3] Later uses include terrain vague (Chateaubriand, 1811), sports grounds (1901), the landing field (1918) and sur le terrain, in the field.[9][2]

Timeline

  • 1155 – Terrein in Wace.[2]
  • 1646 – Gagner du terrain.[2]
  • 1669 – The nature of the soil.[3]
  • 1678 – A riding track.[2]
  • 1691 – Tâter le terrain figuratively.[3]
  • 1811 – Terrain vague.[9]
  • 1835 – In geology.[2]
  • 1846 – Aller sur le terrain.[2]
  • 1901 – A sports ground.[2]
  • 1918 – Terrain d'atterrissage.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Ground, terrain, land: terrain accidenté, glissement de terrain, tout terrain: all-terrain.[10][1]
  2. A plot of land: acheter un terrain, terrain à bâtir, terrain vague: waste ground.[1][11]
  3. A ground, field: terrain de football, terrain de camping.[1][11]
  4. (figurative) Ground, field: sur le terrain, terrain d'entente, tâter le terrain, gagner, perdre du terrain.[1][2]
  5. (geology) A formation: terrains crétacés.[10][2]
  • terre
  • terrestre
  • terroir
  • Latin terra

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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 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 g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/1, 260b
  6. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  7. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  10. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)