clique French · revision 16047

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=back-formation|attested=early 14th century, Gilles li Muisis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /klik/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''clique''' ''f'' (plural cliques)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the noun of Old French [[m|fro|cliquer|t=to make a noise]], from the imitative stem “klikk-” for a short, sharp sound (see [[cliquetis]], [[déclic]]).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|2, 782a) The TLFi thinks the sense “coterie” more probably alludes to the chatter that goes with intrigue than to Old French “clique” “latch”, for the closed nature of such circles.^(TLFi) Littré took it to be the same word as [[claque]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Gilles li Muisis (early 14th century) has it for a slap, Guillaume de Digulleville (mid-14th century) for a group of people.^(GLLF 1989)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Ménage (1694) recorded it for a set of people, and it is now a familiar, pejorative word for a band of people united to scheme against others (''lui et sa clique'').^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) Army slang of the 1880s used it for the bugler and the military band (1883), then for the drums and bugles of a band (1886).^(TLFi) The plural ''cliques'' “clogs” (20th century) survives in ''prendre ses cliques et ses claques'', to pack up and go.^(GLLF 1989) English took ''clique'' in 1711.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 14th century – “A slap”.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * Mid-14th century – A group, in Digulleville.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1694 – “Society of people”, in Ménage.^(TLFi)

+ * 1711 – English ''clique''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1883 – Military slang: a bugler.^(TLFi)

+ * 1886 – Drums and bugles of a band.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(familiar, pejorative)'' A [[m|en|clique]], gang, set: ''il est venu avec toute sa clique''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # The drums and bugles of a military band.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[déclic]]

+ * [[clisser]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cliquer]]

+ * [[cliquetis]]

+ * [[claque]]

+ * [[en|clique]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Prendre ses cliques et ses claques'': to pack up and leave.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}