consoler French · revision 15829

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=13th century|origins=la sōlor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ̃.sɔ.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''consoler'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|cōnsōlor|alt=cōnsōlārī|t=to comfort, console]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|2, 1075a) a compound of [[m|la|com-]] and [[m|la|sōlor|t=to comfort]], preferred to the simple verb in classical prose.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) Rey notes a possible link with [[grc|ἱλάσκομαι|tr=hiláskomai|t=to appease]], itself partly obscure;^(DHLF 1992) Littré instead linked it with [[m|la|sōlus]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Cognate with [[es|consolar]] and [[it|consolare]].^(Littré 1873) The noun [[consolation]] was borrowed earlier, about 1050.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the 13th century, in the ''Dits de l'ame'' and the ''Chastoiement d'un père à son fils''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb has kept the Latin sense “to bring moral comfort”.^(DHLF 1992) In the 15th century it also meant “to rejoice” (''Perceforest''),^(Littré 1873) and in classical French “to relieve, cure (a physical ill)” (Madame de Sévigné).^(GLLF 1989) With a thing as subject it means “to make up for”: ''ce n'est pas ça qui va le consoler''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert) The derivatives ''consolant'' (1470) and ''inconsolé'' (1500) followed.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ [[en|console]] “to comfort” was borrowed from it in the 1690s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''Consolaciun''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 13th century – ''Consoler''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1470 – ''Consolant''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1500 – ''Inconsolé''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1690s – English ''console''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|comfort]], [[m|en|console]]: ''consoler un enfant qui pleure''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Of a thing, to compensate for, make up for: ''cette nouvelle le consolera de son échec''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(literary)'' To soothe (a grief).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(reflexive)'' ''Se consoler (de)'': to get over (something).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[inconsolé]]

+ * [[consolation]]

+ * [[consolateur]]

+ * [[inconsolable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[console]]

+ * [[en|solace]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}