vigoureux

Forms

vigoureux (feminine vigoureuse, masculine plural vigoureux, feminine plural vigoureuses)^[1] Old French vigorous (about 1120) and viguerous (about 1190), Beaumanoir's viguereux and vigreux.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French vigueur + -eux.^[4][5][6][7] The oldest form was vigorous; the variant viguerous, nearer to the noun, died out, and the modern form is Oresme's remaking of 1370.^[2] The noun is from Latin vigor, from vigeō (“to be full of strength”).^[5] Littré instead derived the adjective from vigorōsus.^[3]

Cognate with Old Occitan vigoros, Spanish vigoroso and Italian vigoroso, and with Walloon vigreu (“jovial, merry”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Cambridge Psalter (mid-12th century) it is applied to a main vigorouse, a strong, mighty hand;^[4] the Robert and Bloch and Wartburg date the word to about 1120.^[6][5]

Semantic evolution

From physical strength the adjective spread to firmness of will and action: Beaumanoir (1283) wants a bailiff to be bold and viguereux.^[4][3] It was used of plants that grow strongly from 1559 (Amyot),^[4][2] of forceful words from 1553 (Olivier de Magny),^[4] and in painting of a firm touch or strong colour from Diderot's Salon de 1767.^[4][2] From 1680 it also described whatever has an energetic, effective result.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1120 – Vigorous is first recorded.^[6][5][2]
• mid-12th century – Main vigorouse in the Cambridge Psalter.^[4]
• c. 1190 – The variant viguerous.^[2]
• 1283 – Beaumanoir uses it of firm, resolute action.^[4][2]
• 1370 – Oresme has the modern form vigoureux.^[2]
• 1553 – Propos vigoureux “vigorous words” in Olivier de Magny.^[4]
• 1559 – Amyot applies it to a strongly growing plant.^[4][3]
• 1666 – Molière uses it of an expressive voice.^[8]
• 1768 – Diderot applies it to touch and colour in painting.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Physically strong and full of vitality, robust: un cheval vigoureux.^[9][4][3]
2. Of plants: growing strongly and healthily.^[9][3]
3. Firm and energetic in action, thought or expression: une réponse vigoureuse.^[9][3]
4. (painting) Bold and firm in touch or colour.^[3][4]

Word family

• vigoureusement

Related words

• vigueur
• Latin vigor

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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
5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 446b
8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert