vénérer

Forms

vénérer^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin veneror (“to revere, honour the gods”).^[2][3][1][4] The Latin verb at first meant to address a prayer to the gods, asking a favour, then to venerate; it passed from religious to literary language and in imperial Latin was applied to people and their deeds.^[5] Like Venus it belongs to an Indo-European root also found in Old High German wunskan “to desire”, whence German wünschen.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bloch and Wartburg date the word to 1413, without a sense.^[3][7] The first record with a clear sense is from the mid-15th century, in the Internelle consolacion, where the saints of God are “venerated”: to surround with religious reverence.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In a religious setting vénérer means to revere a saint, a relic or another holy thing; from 1528 it was also said of people held in deep esteem, as in G. Michel's Virgil, where a lady's beauty “must be venerated”.^[2][5] The verb remained rare before the 17th century.^[3][8] Modern usage still contrasts it with adorer: one adores God, but venerates a saint.^[7]

Timeline

• 1413 – First record, according to Bloch and Wartburg.^[3]
• c. 1450 – The Internelle consolacion uses it of venerating the saints.^[2][5]
• 1528 – G. Michel applies it to a person's beauty.^[2][5]
• 17th century – The verb comes into common use.^[3][8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To treat with the reverence due to God, the saints and holy things.^[9][2]
2. (literary) To feel deep respect and attachment for a person or thing, to revere.^[9][2]

Related words

• vénération
• vénérable
• Vénus
• Latin veneror

Usage notes

The ⟨é⟩ of the second syllable becomes ⟨è⟩ before a mute syllable (je vénère), as in céder.^[6][8]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 238b
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert