vil

Forms

vil (feminine vile, masculine plural vils, feminine plural viles)^[1] Old French vil, with the nominative vils and the 12th-century viz.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin vīlis (“cheap, of little value”), whose sense developed from “low-priced” to “contemptible”.^[3][4][5][6] Rey notes that the Latin word has no known origin.^[7]

Cognate with Occitan vil, Spanish vil and Italian vile.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) in the sense “contemptible”: the knights say that they must hold cheap the enemy before them.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

Applied to people, the adjective meant contemptible, above all without honour; applied to things it took up again the Latin sense “worthless” (about 1190–1200), which survives only in à vil prix “very cheap” (1518).^[7][3] The Grand Larousse dates à vil prix to Robert Estienne in 1538.^[8]

Socially, from about 1138–1140, vil meant “of the lowest condition”, the opposite of noble; it kept this sense in the classical period beside bas and roturier, but it is archaic today.^[7][3] From about 1170 it was used of whatever holds the lowest rank in a hierarchy.^[7][8] All its senses except à vil prix are now literary.^[7] English vile (about 1300) comes from the Anglo-Norman and Old French word.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – It appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[3]
• c. 1140 – Geffrei Gaimar uses it of the lowest degree in a hierarchy.^[3]
• c. 1170 – Used of the lowest rank in a classification.^[7][8]
• c. 1200 – The Moralités sur Job have it for something of little value.^[3]
• c. 1300 – English borrows it as vile.^[9]
• 1518 – À vil prix appears in an edict.^[3][7]
• 1680 – Richelet already notes the adverb vilement as little used.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (literary) contemptible, base, without dignity, courage or loyalty.^[10][3]
2. (dated) Of the lowest social condition, as opposed to noble.^[10][7]
3. (dated) Of little or no value.^[8][2] À vil prix: very cheap, far below the real value.^[8][2][3]
4. Occupying the lowest degree in a hierarchy or classification.^[8][3]

Word family

• avilir
• vilement

Related words

• Latin vīlis
• English vile

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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
4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 447b
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert