domino French · revision 15798

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1401, inventory of Pierre Cachevent|origins=la dominus}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''domino''' ''m'' (plural dominos)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Académie 9) It seems to be [[bor|la|dominus|alt=dominō|t=(to the) Lord]], the dative or ablative of “dominus” “lord, master”, taken from a formula of prayer such as “benedicamus Domino” (“let us bless the Lord”), perhaps said while putting on the priest's hood, or used as a jocular clerical name for it;^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|3, 131a) but Rey and Bloch and Wartburg say that the explanation is not well established.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré derived it from a Medieval Latin “domino”, a priest's headgear, through “dominicale”, a head covering worn to receive communion.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ The game seems to have been named after the black hood, because of the black backs of the pieces, rather than from a cry of the winner.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An inventory of 1401 of a canon of Beauvais lists a ''domino'', the black hooded cape that priests wore in winter.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By extension, the priest's hood gave its name to a loose hooded robe worn at masked balls (1665), and to the person wearing it.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF)^(GLLF 1989) The sense “sheet of paper printed with coloured figures” (1514) is harder to explain, perhaps Italian.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The game appears in 1771 (Trévoux), named after the black-backed pieces.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) From its tiles stood on end and knocking each other down came the anglicism ''théorie des dominos'' (1967) and ''effet domino''; the shape of the tiles also named an electrical connector block and, in old slang, a tooth.^(DHLF 1992)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1401 – A priest's black hooded cape.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1514 – Paper printed with coloured figures.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1665 – A hooded robe worn at masked balls (Colletet).^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ * 1718 – First recorded by the Académie.^(TLFi)

+ * 1771 – The game (Trévoux).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1967 – ''Théorie des dominos''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|domino]], one of the flat oblong pieces of the game, black on the back and marked with dots^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse); ''(in the plural)'' the game: ''jouer aux dominos''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''Effet domino'': a [[m|en|chain reaction]].^(Wiktionary)^(Larousse)

+ # An electrical [[m|en|connector]] block.^(Larousse)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A loose hooded robe worn at masked balls; a person wearing one.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(historical)'' A black hooded cape worn by priests in winter.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dom]]

+ * [[la|dominus]]

+ * [[en|domino]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}