totalement

Forms

totalement (adverb, invariable)^[1] Middle French toutellement (1507) and totellement (early 16th century).^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French total + -ment, built on the feminine form.^[2][3][4][1] The adjective is from Medieval Latin tōtālis, from Latin tōtus (“whole, all”).^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Nicole Oresme, in 1361 according to Rey and the Robert dictionaries and about 1370 according to the TLFi, meaning “completely, so that nothing is lacking”.^[5][7][2][4]

Semantic evolution

It is the oldest derivative of total.^[5] From “in all its parts” it weakened, from the early 16th century, to “absolutely, quite”.^[2][5] Amyot uses it in the 16th century of an enemy who was not totalement invincible.^[4]

Timeline

• 1361 – Oresme uses totalement.^[5][7][8]
• c. 1370 – The TLFi's first record, also from Oresme.^[2][9]
• 1507 – The spelling toutellement is recorded.^[2]
• Early 16th century – It is used in the weaker sense “quite”.^[2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In all its parts, completely, entirely: Le village a été totalement reconstruit.^[2][8][10]
2. Quite, absolutely: Elle était totalement sûre d'elle.^[2][9][8]

Related words

• total
• totalité
• tout

References

1. ^ a b c 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. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
4. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b c d e 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)