triomphant

Forms

triomphant (feminine triomphante, masculine plural triomphants, feminine plural triomphantes)^[1] Middle French triumphant, the usual spelling until the 16th century;^[2][3][4] triomphant is found in Montaigne in 1580.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from French triompher + -ant, the present participle of the verb used as an adjective.^[5][2][4][1] The verb is borrowed from Latin triumphō (“to celebrate a triumph, to conquer”),^[6][1] itself from triumphus (“a triumphal procession”).^[4] Rey says the Latin noun, earlier triumpus, probably came through Etruscan from Ancient Greek θρίαμβος (thríambos, “hymn to Bacchus”), whose own origin is unknown.^[4][1] Wiktionary also gives a chain through Middle French triumphant and Latin triumphāns.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The participle is first found about 1265 in Brunetto Latini's Trésor, where Alexander ala triumphant par le monde; as an adjective it is recorded about 1460 in the Mystère du siège d'Orléans, of the triumphant Maid.^[6][4][2]

Semantic evolution

In the 15th century the adjective was used of anyone victorious in war, and especially of a brilliant victory after 1538.^[4][2] In the same century it also meant splendid or magnificent, as of a chapel about 1482 or of Venice in Commynes; this sense survives only in literary use.^[6][4][3] In a Roman context it described the general who received the honours of a triumph.^[6][2]

Molière used it in 1666 of someone who has come out the winner of any rivalry, and Furetière recorded Église triomphante, the elect in heaven as against the Church militant on earth, in 1690.^[2][3] The sense “expressing triumph, full of exultant joy”, now the most common, is dated 1624 by the Petit Robert and 1694 by Rey, when the Académie recorded avoir un air triomphant.^[7][4][6]

Timeline

• c. 1265 – Brunetto Latini uses triumphant as a participle in the Trésor.^[6]
• c. 1460 – The adjective appears in the Mystère du siège d'Orléans.^[6][4][2]
• c. 1482 – Mathieu d'Escouchy uses it in the sense “splendid”.^[6]
• 1538 – It is used of a brilliant military victory.^[4]
• 1580 – Montaigne writes triomphant.^[2][5]
• 1666 – Molière uses it of the winner of a rivalry.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records Église triomphante.^[2]
• 1694 – The Académie records avoir un air triomphant.^[6][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Victorious, having won a brilliant victory: L'équipe est rentrée triomphante.^[7][8][3]
2. Église triomphante: the Church of the elect in heaven, as against the Church militant.^[7][3][2]
3. Expressing triumph, full of confident, radiant joy: un air triomphant, un sourire triomphant.^[7][8][3]
4. (dated, Roman antiquity) Receiving the honours of a triomphe.^[6][5][2]
5. (literary) Splendid, magnificent.^[4][3]

Related words

• triompher
• triomphe
• triomphal
• triomphateur
• Latin triumphus

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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)