zinc

Forms

zinc m (plural zincs)^[1] Earlier spellings zinch (1666), zain and zin (1676), and zinck (1701); zinc is the Académie's spelling of 1762.^[2][3] Littré notes that it was also written zing.^[4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from German Zink.^[2][5][1] The German word is of uncertain origin.^[3][6][7] Bloch and Wartburg identify it with German Zinken (“prong, tine”), because the metal takes the form of prongs as it leaves the furnace;^[5][3] according to the Grand Robert and the DHLF the name may then have been given to the metal by confusion or under the influence of Zinn (“tin”),.^[6][3] Littré already remarked that the German word was not thought to be native.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded as zinch in 1666, in Thévenot's Relations de divers voyages curieux, naming the metal.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In 1690 zinc was also called étain des Indes, “Indian tin”.^[3][6] The chemical name came to be used for the many everyday things made of the metal.^[3] In 1873 Zola used it for the counter of a bar or café, once covered with zinc (hence sur le zinc “at the counter”), and by 1880 Huysmans used it for the bar or café itself.^[2][3] The DHLF thinks the slang word mannezingue “wine merchant” probably influenced this sense, at least for zinc “publican”, found in Richepin in 1881.^[3] The Quemada datings put the “counter” sense a few years earlier, in 1876 or 1877.^[8][7]

Since the First World War (1916) it has also been a familiar word for a small aeroplane, especially an old one.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 1666 – Thévenot writes zinch for the metal.^[2]
• 1676 – Félibien has the forms zain and zin.^[2]
• 1690 – The metal is called étain des Indes.^[3]
• 1701 – Furetière writes zinck.^[2]
• 1762 – The Académie gives the modern spelling zinc.^[2][8]
• 1873 – Zola uses it for the counter of a bar.^[2][3]
• 1880 – Huysmans uses it for a bar or café.^[2][3]
• 1916 – First record as a familiar word for an aeroplane.^[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chemistry) zinc, a hard, bluish-white metal (symbol Zn, atomic number 30), used for roofing, gutters and in alloys such as brass.^[9][2][7]
2. (familiar) The counter of a bar or café: boire un café sur le zinc.^[9][2]
3. (familiar) By extension, a small bar or bistrot.^[9][2]
4. (familiar) A small aeroplane, especially an old one.^[2][3]

Word family

• zinguer
• zingage
• zingueur
• zinguerie
• zincifère
• zincographie
• zincite

Usage notes

In Verlan, a separate zinc means “dude, man”; it is a clipping of zincou, the Verlan form of cousin¹.^[1]

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 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 k l m n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b 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