timide

Forms

timide (plural timides)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin timidus (“fearful, timid, cautious”), borrowed in 1528,^[2][3][4] from timeō (“to fear”).^[3][5][6] The Grand Robert dates a first use to 1518 and the GLLF to 1527.^[5][7] Rey calls the Latin verb a word without a clear etymology, and notes that the Indo-European words for fear differ from language to language and each covers only a small area.^[3]

The noun timidité was borrowed earlier, about 1400, from timiditās.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is in Dassy's Peregrination (1528), meaning “fearful by nature, easily frightened”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Timide entered French as a learned word with the Latin sense “afraid”.^[3] As it spread after the middle of the 17th century its meaning weakened, to “fearful, full of apprehension” (1660) and “lacking boldness or assurance” (1654), and then to “reserved in company” (1670, Molière's Les Amants magnifiques); these are the only senses alive today.^[3][2] From 1628 it also qualifies what shows a lack of assurance in someone,^[3] and Boileau (1674) applies it to a lack of boldness in works of the mind.^[2] Said of animals (a timid deer or hare), the old sense is now dated.^[2]

The English word timid (1540s) came from French timide and directly from Latin.^[8]

Timeline

• 1528 – First record, in Dassy's Peregrination, of a creature easily frightened.^[2][3]
• 1542 – Timidéement “fearfully” is recorded.^[2]
• 1654 – D'Ablancourt uses it of someone lacking boldness and resolve.^[2]
• 1670 – Molière uses it of someone lacking ease with other people.^[2][3]
• 1674 – Boileau applies it to a lack of boldness in works of the mind.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (dated) Lacking boldness and decision; hesitant, timoré.^[9][2]
2. Of things: showing little boldness or conviction: une réforme timide.^[9]
3. Lacking ease and assurance with other people; shy, timid: elle est timide avec les inconnus.^[9][1]
4. (dated) Of animals: fearful by nature, easily frightened.^[2]
5. Of a painter's, sculptor's or engraver's manner: lacking firmness and decision.^[6]

Noun

1. A shy person: un timide.^[9][6]

Word family

• intimider
• intimidation
• timidement

Related words

• timidité
• Latin timidus
• English timid

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 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert