ciseau French · revision 15672

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=1155–1160, ciseaus (Roman de Thèbes)|origins=la caedō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /si.zo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ciseau''' ''m'' (plural ciseaux)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''cisel'' (plural ''ciseaus'').^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|cisel]], [[inh|la-vul|*cisellum]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|2, 39b) an alteration, after the compounds of [[la|caedō|t=to cut]] in “-cīsus” (“incīsus”, “occīsus”), of [[m|la-vul|*caesellum]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) formed on “caes-”, the stem of the past participle [[m|la|caesus]] or of a frequentative verb.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Compare [[la-lat|cisōrium|t=cutting tool]] (Vegetius).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré reports Diez's alternative derivation from [[la|sīcīlis|t=small lance]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Cognate with [[oc|cisèl]], [[ca|cisell]], [[it|cesello]] and [[es|cincel]];^(Wiktionary) [[en|chisel]] comes from Old Northern French.^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Roman de Thèbes'' (1155–1160) has ''trenchanz ciseaus'', a flat tool sharp at one end for cutting stone or wood.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ About 1178 the ''Roman de Renart'' uses the singular and then the plural ''ciseaux'' for a cutting instrument of two crossing blades, scissors.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The sculptor's chisel came to stand for sculpture and an artist's hand: ''un bon ciseau'' (1690), ''le ciseau de Michel-Ange'' (1718).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ The crossing blades gave sailing ''voiles en ciseaux'' (1831), the dancer's and gymnast's ''ciseaux'' (1934) and the scissor hold in wrestling.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary) Derivatives are ''ciseler'' “to chisel, engrave” (13th century) and ''ciselure'' (1307).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1155–1160 – ''Ciseaus'', a chisel.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * c. 1178 – Scissors (''Renart'').^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – ''Ciseler''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1690 – A sculptor's skill (Furetière).^(TLFi)

+ * 1831 – ''Voiles en ciseaux''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|chisel]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Ciseaux'' (plural): [[m|en|scissors]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary)'' Sculpture; a sculptor's art.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+ # A [[m|en|scissor kick]] or scissors hold.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ciseler]]

+ * [[ciseleur]]

+ * [[ciselure]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cisailles]]

+ * [[cisèlement]]

+ * [[cisaille]]

+ * [[la|caedō]]

+ * [[en|chisel]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}