tumultueux

Forms

tumultueux (feminine tumultueuse, masculine plural tumultueux, feminine plural tumultueuses)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin tumultuōsus (“full of agitation, of trouble”), from tumultus (“uproar, tumult”).^{[2][3][4][5][1][6]} It came into French at about the same time as tumulte.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1355 in Bersuire's translation of Livy, meaning “showing noisy, disorderly agitation”.^[2][4][3]

Semantic evolution

From the 17th century the word widened: “full of agitation and trouble” (1631, Guez de Balzac, of the burdensome business of life), “accompanied by noisy excitement” (1641, Corneille's Horace), and, of a person, “full of inner turmoil” (1665, Molière's Dom Juan).^[2][3] In 1567 it was said of a very strong wine, a use since lost.^[3] From the late 18th century it describes violent natural movement: vents tumultueux (Delille, 1770), flots tumultueux (Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, 1784).^[2] The derived adverb tumultueusement (about 1355) belongs to literary style.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1355 – Bersuire's translation of Livy.^[2][4]
• 1567 – Said of a very strong wine.^[3]
• 1631 – Guez de Balzac uses it for “full of agitation”.^[2][3]
• 1641 – Corneille uses it for “accompanied by noisy excitement”.^[2]
• 1665 – Molière uses it for inner turmoil.^[2][3]
• 1770 – Vents tumultueux in Delille's translation of the Georgics.^[2]
• 1784 – Flots tumultueux in Bernardin de Saint-Pierre.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (literary) Noisy and agitated, full of uproar: une réunion tumultueuse, une foule tumultueuse.^[7][2][8]
2. Agitated and violent, turbulent: flots tumultueux.^[7][2]
3. Full of agitation or inner turmoil: une vie tumultueuse, une passion tumultueuse.^[7][3]

Word family

• tumultueusement

Related words

• tumulte
• tumultuaire
• Latin tumultuōsus

References

1. ^ a b 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 i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/2, 412b
7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse