fond French · revision 15989

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la fundus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fɔ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fond''' ''m'' (plural fonds)^(Wiktionary)

+ [[fro|funz]] (1080), [[m|fro|fonz]], ''fons'', ''font'', ''fond'' with the etymological ⟨d⟩ about 1280–1360. ''Fond'' and [[fonds]] are two spellings of one word, given separate senses from the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|fonz]], [[inh|la|fundus|t=bottom; farm, estate]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|3, 870a) through a popular neuter “*fundus, *fundoris”, which explains why Old French “fonz” was invariable like “corps” and “temps”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992) The Latin word is related to [[goh|bodam|t=ground]], [[sa|बुध्न|tr=budhná|t=bottom, base]] and [[grc|πυθμήν|tr=puthmḗn|t=bottom]], though no single Indo-European root can be set up;^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) the Petit Robert compares [[en|bottom]] and [[de|Boden]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|fondo]], [[pro|fons]], [[ca|fons]], [[es|fondo]], [[pt|fundo]] and [[ro|fund]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) [[en|fund]] (1670s) is from “fond”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) has ''Envers les funz s'en turnerent alquant'', some sank towards the bottom of the Ebro.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the lowest part of something hollow and the bed of a sea or river, ''fond'' came to mean depth of water (1531) and the underground part of a mine (1872).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) About 1190 it was the furthest part of a place, whence ''le fin fond de'' (Montaigne, 1580), the back of a stage (1543) and the seat of trousers (''le font de ses braies'', Joinville, 1306).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Chrétien de Troyes (1176) already has ''ne trueve fonz ne rive'', no limit.^(TLFi)

+

+ Figuratively it is the innermost, true part: ''del funz de son cuer'' (about 1200), ''au fond'' “really” (1585), ''à fond'' (Pascal, 1656) and ''dans le fond'' (1657).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) As a base it gave ''fond de lit'' (about 1280), the background of a picture (1547), ''faire fond sur'' “to rely on” (1657), ''le fond de l'air'' (1800) and ''fond de teint'' (1910).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In law and letters the ''fond'' is the substance as opposed to the form (1585, 1657), in sport endurance (''course de fond'', 1863), and ''à fond de train'' (1872) is “flat out”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Funz'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1176 – “Limit”, in Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1190 – The back of a place.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1200 – ''Del funz de son cuer''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1280 – The spelling with ⟨d⟩.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1547 – Background of a picture.^(TLFi)

+ * 1585 – ''Au fond'' “in reality”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1656 – ''À fond'' in Pascal.^(TLFi)

+ * 1670s – English ''fund''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1872 – ''À fond de train''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|bottom]]: ''le fond d'un verre'', ''le fond de la mer'', ''toucher le fond''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The back, far end: ''au fond de la salle'', ''le fin fond de''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # The heart, essence; content as opposed to form: ''le fond du problème'', ''au fond'', ''dans le fond'': basically.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # The background: ''fond sonore'', ''toile de fond'', ''fond d'écran''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(cooking)'' A stock, base: ''fond de sauce''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(sport)'' Long-distance, endurance: ''course de fond'', ''ski de fond''.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ # ''À fond'': thoroughly; flat out: ''à fond de train'', ''de fond en comble'': from top to bottom.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[foncer]]

+ * [[foncé]]

+ * [[arrière-fond]]

+ * [[bas-fond]]

+ * [[défoncer]]

+ * [[enfoncer]]

+ * [[plafond]]

+ * [[tréfonds]]

+ * [[fondrière]]

+ * [[approfondir]]

+ * [[profond]]

+ * [[effondrer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fonds]]

+ * [[la|fundus]]

+ * [[en|fund]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In ''de fond en comble'' the final ''d'' is pronounced, a phonetic survival.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873) The spelling [[fonds]] is now kept for the senses “land, capital, stock” (''fonds de commerce''), though the two are still confused, especially in figurative senses.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}