beau French · revision 16343

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 881, Séquence de sainte Eulalie|origins=la bonus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bo/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (obsolete): /bjo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''beau''' (masculine singular before vowel bel, feminine belle, masculine plural beaux, feminine plural belles)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|bel]] (about 881), then [[m|fro|biau]] and ''beau'', ''bel'' is kept before a vowel and in some phrases.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|bel]], [[inh|la|bellus|t=pretty, charming]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|1, 319a) “Bellus”, a familiar diminutive of [[m|la|bonus|t=good]] (old “duenos”), was used in classical Latin of women and children, and of men only ironically.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) Etymonline traces it to a diminutive “*dwenelo-” of an Indo-European root “*deu-”, a reconstruction de Vaan calls disputed.^(Etymonline) Being affectionate, it replaced [[m|la|pulcher|t=beautiful]] and [[m|la|decōrus|t=seemly]] in popular Latin; in part of the Romance area [[m|la|fōrmōsus]] won instead, giving [[es|hermoso]] and [[ro|frumos]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In the southern dialects of France it competes with “brave”, “gent”, “gentil” and “poulit”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|bello]], [[oc|bèl]], [[ca|bell]], [[es|bello]] and [[pt|belo]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found as ''bel'' in the ''Séquence de sainte Eulalie'' (about 881), of a being pleasing to the eye.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the first texts ''bel'' described what pleases the eye, in a being (about 881), a thing (about 980) or a natural phenomenon (1080), and also what pleases the ear.^(DHLF 1992) The link between “beautiful”, “good” and “well”, already present in Latin, still shapes the word's senses.^(DHLF 1992) From the 10th century it was a flattering term of address (about 980), and this use explains the kinship terms ''beau-frère'' (1386), ''belle-mère'' (1429), ''beau-père'' (1466) and ''belle-fille'' (about 1470), which ousted older words of Latin origin such as ''serorge'', ''fillâtre'' and ''suire''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Said of people, it came to mean “well dressed, smartened up” (''se faire beau'', ''se faire belle'').^(DHLF 1992) The derivative [[beauté]] dates from about 1080, and [[belette]] (13th century) is a euphemism, “the pretty one”, meant to ward off the animal's harm.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) English borrowed ''beau'' “fop” (1680s) and “suitor” (1720), and ''belle'' (1620s).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 881 – ''Bel'' in the ''Séquence de sainte Eulalie''.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 980 – A flattering term of address.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1080 – ''Beltet'' “beauty” in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1386 – ''Beau-frère''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1466 – ''Beau-père''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1620s – English borrows ''belle''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1680s – English ''beau'' “fop”.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1794 – ''Se mettre sur son beau'' “to dress up”.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|beautiful|alt=Beautiful]], [[m|en|handsome]]: ''une belle femme'', ''un bel homme''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Fine, nice: ''il fait beau'', ''du beau temps''.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Morally fine, noble: ''une belle action''.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Considerable: ''une belle somme'', ''un beau jour'', one fine day.^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Ironically, of something bad: ''un beau gâchis''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Avoir beau'' + infinitive: to do something in vain: ''J'ai beau crier, il n'entend pas.''^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''Le beau'': the beautiful, beauty as an aesthetic value.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''Un vieux beau'': an old dandy, ''faire le beau'', of a dog, to sit up and beg.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(BHVF)

+ # ''Une belle'': a beautiful woman; one's sweetheart.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(Louisiana)'' A boyfriend.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[beau-]]

+ * [[beaux-arts]]

+ * [[bellâtre]]

+ * [[bellement]]

+ * [[beauté]]

+ * [[belette]]

+ * [[bellot]]

+ * [[beaucoup]]

+ * [[beau-père]]

+ * [[belle-fille]]

+ * [[belle-sœur]]

+ * [[embellissement]]

+ * [[embellie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bon]]

+ * [[bien]]

+ * [[la|bellus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}