unir

Forms

unir^[1] The past participle is found first, as uniz at the end of the 10th century.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin ūniō (“to join, unite”), a rare word of the Imperial period derived from ūnus (“one”).^[3][4][2] Wiktionary treats it as inherited from Old French unir, itself taken from Latin.^[1] Bloch and Wartburg note that the Latin past participle survived by inheritance in Old French onni (“uniform, level”).^[5][6]

Cognate with Old Occitan unir, Spanish unir and Italian unire.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

At the end of the 10th century the past participle uniz meant “bound together by affection”: in the Passion, all are united en caritad “in charity”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

About 1180 the verb is found in unir un cunte “to bring together the elements of a story”.^[2][3][7] From the end of the 12th century it has the general sense of putting elements together to make one whole.^[2][3][7] In 1371 it was used of joining a territory to the Crown by a political tie.^[2][3]

In the 16th century it also meant “to smooth a board, level the ground” (1539), a sense taken from the adjective uni “smooth, even”, which has since aged.^[3][7] From the end of the 16th century the idea of joining took over: things joined together (1594), abstract qualities (1640, Corneille), two persons joined in marriage (1644), people brought to agreement and concord (1660), and two places linked by a way of communication (1727).^[2][3][7]

Timeline

• Late 10th century – The past participle uniz appears in the Passion.^[2]
• c. 1180 – Thomas's Tristan has unir un cunte.^[2][3]
• 1371 – Used of a county united to the Crown.^[2][3]
• 1538 – The infinitive unir is recorded by Robert Estienne.^[2]
• 1539 – Robert Estienne records the sense “to smooth, level”.^[3][7]
• 1644 – Corneille uses it for joining two people in marriage.^[2][3]
• 1660 – Corneille uses it for bringing about concord.^[2][7]
• 1727 – Used of canals linking two places.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To put things together so that they form one whole; to unite, join: unir deux provinces “to unite two provinces”.^[8][9]
2. To bring or bind people together, by a feeling, an interest or a tie: l'amitié les unit “friendship unites them”.^[2][8]
3. To join two people in marriage.^[8][2]
4. To link two places by a means of communication: une route unit les deux villages “a road links the two villages”.^[6][2]
5. To combine qualities in oneself: unir la force à la douceur “to combine strength with gentleness”.^[6]
6. (reflexive) s'unir: to merge into one whole, to join forces, or to marry.^[10][2]
7. (dated) To make smooth or level.^[3][6]

Word family

• désunir
• réunir

Related words

• un
• uni
• union
• unique
• Latin ūniō
• Latin ūnus

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 m n o p q r 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 k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)