ennui French · revision 16124

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=first half of the 12th century, Oxford Psalter|origins=la odium}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɑ̃.nɥi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ennui''' ''m'' (countable and uncountable, plural ennuis)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French and Anglo-Norman [[m|fro|enui]], [[m|fro|anui]], [[m|fro|anoi]].^(Littré 1873)^(AND)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|enui]], a back-formation from the verb [[m|fro|enuier]], modern [[ennuyer]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005) The verb is from [[la-lat|inodiō|t=to make hateful]], formed on the classical phrase [[m|la|in odio esse|t=to be an object of hatred]], from [[m|la|odium|t=hatred]].^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) This explanation, given by Diez, replaced the older derivation from [[la|noxa|t=harm]], whose forms would rather have given [[noise]];^(Littré 1873) Littré supports it with the same phrase in Old Venetian.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Cognate with [[pro|enueg]], [[es|enojo]], [[pt|enojo]] and [[it|noia]].^(Littré 1873)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first record is in the Oxford Psalter, in the first half of the 12th century: ''Sermeilla la meie aneme pur ennui'' “my soul slumbered for heaviness”, translating Latin ''prae taedio''; the sense was deep sorrow or disgust.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the classical period ''ennui'' was a strong word: deep sorrow, disgust (''ennui de vie'' about 1330) and, from about 1130–40, torment, violent vexation; this is still its dominant sense in Racine's tragedies.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Since Old French it has also meant, in a weaker sense, the weariness caused by idleness or a dull occupation (13th century) and, from the 17th century, a lack of taste for things, a vague melancholy, as in Pascal (1658).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) The Romantics made it the name of a moral malaise, the ''mal du siècle''.^(GLLF 1989) In the plural, ''des ennuis'' are troubles, annoyances: ''avoir des ennuis avec la justice''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1120–1150 – ''Ennui'' “deep sorrow” appears in the Oxford Psalter.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1130–40 – Wace uses ''grant enui'' for a torment.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – The weaker sense of weariness appears.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * c. 1330 – ''Ennui de vie'' “weariness of life” is recorded.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1658 – Pascal uses it for listlessness, lack of pleasure in anything.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(dated or literary)'' Deep [[m|en|sorrow]], great distress.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # A [[m|en|trouble]] or annoyance; a difficulty: ''avoir des ennuis'', ''des ennuis mécaniques''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # [[m|en|boredom|alt=Boredom]], the weariness caused by idleness or a monotonous occupation.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''(literary)'' Vague melancholy, a moral weariness that takes pleasure in nothing; [[m|en|ennui]].^(Le Robert)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(regional)'' Homesickness, longing for someone or something.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[désennuyer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ennuyer]]

+ * [[ennuyeux]]

+ * [[odieux]]

+ * [[la|odium]]

+ * [[en|ennui]]

+ * [[en|annoy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}