cerise French · revision 15679

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1190, Jean Bodel|origins=grc κερασός}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sə.ʁiz/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cerise''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|cerise]], [[inh|la-vul|*ceresia]], a neuter plural taken as a feminine singular,^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|2, 598a) from Late Latin [[m|la-lat|ceresium]] (6th century), a variant of imperial [[m|la|cerasium]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) [[bor|grc|κεράσιον|tr=kerásion|t=cherry]], from [[m|grc|κερασός|tr=kerasós|t=cherry tree]],^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary) perhaps from a language of Asia Minor, the tree being native to the Black Sea region.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) Tradition says Lucullus brought the fruit and its name to Rome after his war against Mithridates;^(DHLF 1992) Littré connected the name with the town of Cerasus in Pontus.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ [[de|Kirsche]] goes back to “cerasium”.^(DHLF 1992) Cognate with [[it|ciliegia]], [[es|cereza]] and [[pt|cereja]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Jean Bodel's ''Chanson des Saisnes'' (about 1190) has the word for the fruit of the cherry tree.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Besides the fruit, the word names other small round fruits, such as the coffee berry, its usual sense in African French.^(DHLF 1992) As an invariable adjective, ''cerise'' is cherry red (1803).^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary) Slang used it for the head (1903).^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 6th century – Late Latin ''ceresium''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1165 – ''Cerisier''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * c. 1190 – ''Cerise'' (Jean Bodel).^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1803 – Adjective “cherry red”.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1903 – Slang “head”.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

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

+ # ''(Africa)'' A coffee berry.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(slang, dated)'' The head.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|cerise|alt=Cerise]], cherry red (invariable).^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cerisier]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|cherry]]

+ * [[en|cerise]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}