avant French · revision 16295

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=842, Strasbourg Oaths|origins=la ante}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.vɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''avant'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|abante|t=before, in front]], formed from [[m|la|ab|t=from]] and [[m|la|ante|t=before, in front of]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|24, 2b) The Latin word, found in inscriptions and dated to the 2nd century, was both adverb and preposition and competed with classical “ante”.^(Littré 1873)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(REW 1935) In its spatial sense French “avant” was challenged from the earliest texts by “davant” (10th century) and [[devant]] (11th century).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|avanti]], [[pro|avan]] and [[ca|abans]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(REW 1935)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the Strasbourg Oaths (842); as an adverb it means “before, earlier” in the mid-10th century and has a spatial sense in the second half of the 10th century.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Avant que'' dates from 1258, and ''par avant'' (13th century) preceded [[auparavant]].^(DHLF 1992) ''En avant'', first temporal (10th century), became spatial (11th century) and abstract (''mettre en avant'', 15th century); the order ''avant, marche !'' (1531) became ''en avant, marche !'' in the early 19th century.^(DHLF 1992) As a preposition of time, ''avant'' is recorded from the late 13th century.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Aller de l'avant'' was a naval phrase (1736) before its figurative use (1835).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Old and Middle French had many lost phrases, such as ''en avant'' “afterwards” and ''avant mais'' “henceforth”.^(DHLF 1992) The noun ''avant'' meant “advance” in 1422 and “front part” in 1678; in sport it has named a forward since about 1905.^(Petit Robert 2007) Derivatives include [[avantage]] (12th century), [[davantage]] (14th century) and [[dorénavant]], from ''d'or en avant'' “from now on” (13th century).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 842 – In the Strasbourg Oaths.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * Mid-10th century – Adverb “before, earlier”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 12th century – ''Avantage''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1258 – ''Avant que''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * Late 13th century – Preposition of time.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1531 – ''Avant, marche !'' in Robert Estienne.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1678 – The noun ''avant'' “front part”.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1736 – ''Aller de l'avant'', at sea.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1905 – ''Avant'' “forward” in sport.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # [[m|en|before|alt=Before]], earlier than: ''avant le jour'', ''avant Jésus-Christ''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Before, in front of, in space or order: ''Bayonne est avant Biarritz.''^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Before, in rank or importance: ''avant tout'', above all.^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Avant de'' + infinitive, ''avant que'' + subjunctive: before.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Before, [[m|en|beforehand]]: ''la veille au soir et le jour d'avant''.^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ # Forward, far: ''en avant'', ''plus avant'', further.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The front part (of a ship, a car): ''à l'avant''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(sport)'' A [[m|en|forward]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Aller de l'avant'': to forge ahead.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[auparavant]]

+ * [[avantage]]

+ * [[davantage]]

+ * [[dorénavant]]

+ * [[avant-bras]]

+ * [[avant-coureur]]

+ * [[avant-dernier]]

+ * [[avant-garde]]

+ * [[avant-goût]]

+ * [[avant-guerre]]

+ * [[avant-hier]]

+ * [[avant-poste]]

+ * [[avant-propos]]

+ * [[avant-veille]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[avancer]]

+ * [[devant]]

+ * [[après]]

+ * [[la|ante]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}