unanime

Forms

unanime (plural unanimes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin ūnanimus (“of one mind, living in harmony”), a compound of ūnus (“one, single”) and animus (“mind, spirit, heart”).^[2][3][4][1] Rey notes that this Latin noun, already rivalled by spīritus in classical Latin, did not survive in the Romance languages, unlike anima (“breath, soul”), which gave âme.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

An isolated record about 980, in the sermon on Jonah of the Valenciennes fragment, applies it to people who are of one accord: Seiets unanimes in dei servitio.^[2][5][4] The word is then not found again until after 1450.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Taken up again in the second half of the 15th century (the adverb unanimement in 1467, the adjective in 1480), it was first said of people who all share the same opinion;^[2][3][6] the singular use, as in unanime avec (1537), has gone out of use.^[3] From 1534 (Rabelais, par consentement unanime) it was also said of things, an agreement or a vote shared by all.^[2][3]

In 1905 Jules Romains made a literary term of it, la vie unanime, life in deep accord with the feeling of the group, and the noun l'Unanime, from which came unanimisme and unanimiste.^[2][3]

Timeline

• c. 980 – An isolated record in the Valenciennes fragment.^[2][4]
• 1467 – The adverb unanimement is recorded.^[2][6]
• 1480 – The Mistère du Viel Testament uses the adjective.^[2]
• 1530 – Palsgrave records it.^[4][7]
• 1534 – Rabelais writes par consentement unanime.^[2]
• 1905 – Jules Romains coins la vie unanime and unanimisme.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (in the plural) Of people: all of the same opinion, in full agreement: les juges ont été unanimes.^[8][9][2]
2. Of a decision or feeling: expressing the view of all, general: une décision unanime.^[8][9]
3. Done by everyone at the same moment: des applaudissements unanimes.^[8][10]

Word family

• unanimisme
• unanimement
• unanimiste

Related words

• unanimité
• un
• âme
• Latin ūnanimus

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ 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 Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)