thon

Forms

thon m (plural thons)^[1] Middle French ton; the spelling thon is found in 1538.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Old Occitan ton, from Latin thunnus, thynnus, which is from Ancient Greek θύννος (thúnnos).^[3][4][5] The TLFi derives it from the Latin word, perhaps through the Occitan one, which is recorded only from the 15th century.^[2][6] Rey thinks the Greek word is probably a Mediterranean one, which the Greeks linked by folk etymology with a verb meaning “to dart, rush”, and rejects a link with a Hebrew word for “sea monster”.^[3]

Cognate with Italian tonno.^[5][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as ton in the Ménagier de Paris (about 1393), describing a fish found in the sea and salt pools of Languedoc.^[2][5][8]

Semantic evolution

The derivative tonine “tuna” is older still, found at the end of the 11th century in Rashi's glosses.^[2][3] The word names the large sea fish, and its flesh as food from 1690.^[2][3] The fishing terms thonaire (1801) and thonier (end of the 19th century) were derived from it.^[3] In familiar use it is also a derogatory word for an unattractive woman.^[9][1]

Timeline

• c. 1393 – Ton appears in the Ménagier de Paris.^[2]
• 1538 – Estienne writes thon.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records the sense “flesh of the tuna”.^[2]
• 1801 – Thonaire is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. The tuna, a large fish of the mackerel family living in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean: thon rouge, thon blanc.^[9][2]
2. Its flesh as food, fresh or tinned: thon à l'huile.^[9]
3. (familiar, derogatory) An unattractive girl or woman.^[9][1]

Word family

• thonine
• thonier
• thonaire

Related words

• Latin thunnus

Usage notes

Thon is a homophone of ton.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 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. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/1, 318b
7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert