tiare

Forms

tiare f (plural tiares)^[1] First found in the Latin form tyara in a French text (1374), then Middle French thiaire (1382 or about 1389) and tiare (early 16th century).^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin tiāra (“tiara, headdress of the Orientals”), a word of the imperial period, which was itself taken from Ancient Greek τιάρα (tiára), the headdress of the Persians, a kind of conical turban.^[2][5] The Greek word is an Eastern borrowing of unknown origin according to the TLFi and Rey, who follow Chantraine;^[2][5] Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF call it Persian.^[6][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1374 the Latin form tyara appears in a French text, Jean Goulain's translation of the Rationale, for the mitre with three crowns that the pope wears at solemn ceremonies.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Taken as a Church word for the papal triple crown, it came to stand by metonymy for the papal office itself (1680), whence porter la tiare “to be pope” (1718).^[5][2] In the 14th century, as tiaire, it was also used for the imperial crown, and it named, from 1511, the conical headdress of dignitaries of the ancient East;^[5][2] in 1672 Sacy used it for the headdress of the Jewish high priest.^[4] From 1832 it is used of anything like a crown, as when Hugo speaks of a church's tiare de clochers.^[2] By likeness of shape it was applied in zoology to several molluscs (1736) and in botany to the diminutive tiarelle (1812).^[5] The derivative tiaré “wearing a tiara” is found from 1887, in Huysmans.^[2]

Timeline

• 1374 – The Latin form tyara appears in a French text.^[2][5]
• 1382 – Thiaire is recorded.^[5][3]
• c. 1389 – Thiaire in Philippe de Mézières' Songe du vieil pèlerin.^[2]
• 1511 – Lemaire de Belges uses it for the tall headdress of the ancient Eastern peoples.^[2][7]
• 1550s – English borrows tiara from Latin, after the earlier form tiar (1510s).^[8]
• 1680 – Richelet records it for the papal dignity.^[2][7]
• 1718 – Porter la tiare “to be pope” is recorded.^[5]
• 1736 – It names a kind of mollusc.^[5]
• 1832 – Hugo uses it for a crown-like ring of towers.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. The papal tiara, a tall headdress ringed with three crowns, formerly worn by the pope at solemn ceremonies.^[7][9]
2. Ceindre la tiare, porter la tiare: to become, to be pope; by metonymy, the papal dignity.^[7][9]
3. A conical headdress worn by sovereigns and dignitaries in the ancient East and at Byzantium, also the headdress of the Jewish high priest.^[7][9][4]
4. A jewelled diadem worn as an ornament, a tiara.^[1]

Related words

• détiarer
• tiaré
• Latin tiāra
• English tiara

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 l m 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)