zeste

Forms

zeste m (plural zestes)^[1] Earlier zec (1536) and sec (1544); zest in Cotgrave (1611), zeste in the Académie from 1740.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is first inherited from Middle French zec, formed on an expressive root ⟨zek-⟩, an ablaut variant of the ⟨zik-⟩ of zigzag, which named something of little or no worth.^[2][4][5] Rey thinks the root had a concrete sense, a sharp noise, beside the figurative one of a worthless thing, and compares the names of small fruits such as nèfle.^[3] At the end of the 16th century the form became zest, which the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert explain as an alteration after the interjection zest.^[2][6][7]

Littré, following Diez, derived the word instead from Latin schistus, Ancient Greek σχιστός (skhistós, “split”), comparing Walloon zess;^[8] Wiktionary also traces it to the Greek word, as a semi-learned borrowing.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Roger de Collerye's Monologue du résolu (1536), in je n'en donne un zec “I don't care a straw about it”, where the word means a thing of no importance.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In the 16th century sec named the thin membrane that divides the inside of a walnut (1544), and zest took over this sense in the 17th century.^[2][3] The meaning “worthless thing” lived on after verbs such as valoir and donner in negative sentences: il ne vaut pas un zest is in Cotgrave (1611) and je n'en donnerais pas un zeste is recorded in 1660.^[2][3]

Unlike nèfle and other plant names that went from a concrete to a worthless thing, zeste went the other way: from “trifle” it came to name the thin, fragrant outer part of the peel of oranges and lemons (un zest d'orange, 1645, Oudin) and a small piece cut from it.^[3][2] By extension it means a small amount of anything (1870), without any scorn.^[3][2] English took the word as zest in the 1670s for a piece of peel used as flavouring.^[9]

Timeline

• 1536 – Zec “a trifle” in Collerye's Monologue du résolu.^[2]
• 1544 – Sec names the membrane inside a walnut.^[2][3]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records zest and il ne vaut pas un zest.^[2]
• 1645 – Oudin speaks of un zest d'orange to put in wine.^[2]
• 1670s – English borrows the word as zest.^[9]
• 1718 – Le Roux writes zeste of orange or lemon peel.^[2]
• 1740 – The Académie adopts the spelling zeste.^[2]
• 1870 – Nadaud uses it for a very small amount.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (botany) The thin membrane that divides the inside of a walnut into four parts.^[7][2][5]
2. The thin, coloured and fragrant outer layer of the peel of citrus fruits, used to flavour food; a thin strip cut or grated from it: un zeste de citron dans le thé.^[7][2][1]
3. (figurative) A small amount, a touch: un zeste de malice.^[7][2][1]
4. (dated) A thing of no value, in cela ne vaut pas un zeste.^[8]

Word family

• zester

Related words

• zest
• zigzag

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 657b
5. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com