velu

Forms

velu (feminine velue, masculine plural velus, feminine plural velues)^[1] Old French velut, also a noun meaning “velvet”.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Late Latin villūtus (“hairy”), found in a 7th-century gloss, a variant of Classical villōsus, both derived from villus (“tuft of hair”).^[2][3][4][5]

Cognate with Italian velluto, Spanish velludo and Old Occitan velut, all three also meaning “velvet”.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1140 the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne has the noun velut “velvet”; the adjective “covered with hair” is in the Eneas about 1160.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first described a person with abundant, visible body hair, and it still does, as a stronger word than poilu.^[3] In Old and Middle French it was used figuratively for “overrun with, covered with”, as in velu de faim “prostrated by hunger” (about 1210), and Diderot still had avoir le cœur velu “to be weary” in the mid-18th century.^[3][7]

The noun velut “velvet” lasted until the 16th century, and the adjective meant “made of or like velvet” from the 14th century, a use later taken over by velouté.^[3] In botany it describes a plant covered in fine hairs (1549), and pierre velue is undressed building stone (1676).^[2][3] In students' slang about 1940 velu came to mean “strong, tough, difficult”, from the association of hair with strength.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1140 – Velut “velvet” appears in the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne.^[2]
• c. 1160 – The adjective appears in the Eneas.^[2]
• c. 1210 – Velu de faim is recorded.^[3]
• 16th century – The noun “velvet” goes out of use.^[3]
• 1549 – Fuchs's herbal uses it in botany.^[2]
• 1676 – Félibien records pierre velue.^[2]
• c. 1940 – Students' slang uses it for “difficult, tough”.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Hairy, having abundant body hair: des bras velus.^[8][9]
2. (botany) Villous, covered with fine, close hairs: une tige velue.^[8][1]
3. Pierre velue: undressed building stone.^[2][10]

Related words

• velours
• velouté
• villosité
• Latin villus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 458b
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse