modeste French · revision 15706

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1370–1372, Oresme|origins=la modus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɔ.dɛst/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''modeste''' (plural modestes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|modestus|t=moderate; calm; decent; reserved]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|6/3, 7a) from [[m|la|modus|t=measure]], the source of [[mode]] “manner”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) The adverb “modestement” and “modestie” are recorded a little earlier, in Bersuire (1352–1356).^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Littré took “modestus” to be a participle of the verb behind [[modérer]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Oresme's translation of Aristotle's ''Ethics'' (1370–1372) has it in the Latin sense “moderate, far from all excess”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “moderate” lived until the end of the 17th century, and the Académie has kept it since.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) In biblical style ''les modestes'' were the poor and lowly (1560).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Under the influence of ''modestie'', the 17th century gave the senses “chaste, decent” (1607), “humble, free of vanity” (1611, Cotgrave), “small, slight” (about 1649, La Rochefoucauld) and, disparagingly, “ordinary, without lustre” (1686, Bossuet).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The précieuses called the first of three petticoats ''la modeste'' (the others being ''la secrète'' and ''la friponne''), and in 1706 ''un modeste'' was a small kerchief covering a low neckline; these nouns died out early in the 19th century.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1352–1356 – ''Modestement'' (Bersuire).^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1370–1372 – “Moderate” (Oresme).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1560 – ''Les modestes'', the poor and lowly.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1607 – “Chaste, decent”.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1611 – “Humble” (Cotgrave).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1649 – “Small, slight” (La Rochefoucauld).^(TLFi)

+ * 1686 – “Ordinary, without lustre” (Bossuet).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1706 – ''Un modeste'', a kerchief.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Simple, without luxury or show; [[m|en|humble]]: ''un train de vie modeste'', ''d'origine modeste''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Small, of little importance; [[m|en|modest]]: ''revenus modestes''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Free of vanity, unassuming.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Undemanding: ''modeste dans ses prétentions''.^(Larousse)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(literary)'' Reserved, [[m|en|decent]].^(Larousse)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A modest person: ''faire le modeste''.^(Larousse)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[modestement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[modestie]]

+ * [[mode]]

+ * [[modérer]]

+ * [[la|modestus]]

+ * [[en|modest]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}