jeune French · revision 16367

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=early 12th century, Vie de saint Alexis (juvene)|origins=la iuvenis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʒœn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''jeune''' (plural jeunes)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''juvene'', ''jovenur'', ''juefne'', ''joefne'', ''juenne'', ''jone'', ''gienvle'', ''jeune'' from the 13th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|juefne]], [[inh|la-vul|*iovenis]], an alteration of [[la|iuvenis|t=young; young man or woman]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|5, 92b)^(Wiktionary) The Vulgar Latin vowel “o” arose from “-uv-” before the labial, and accounts for the Old French forms in “-o-”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In Latin the word was mostly a noun, naming a person of roughly twenty to forty, between the [[m|la|adulēscēns]] and the [[m|la|senior]]; its adjectival use and feminine were rare and late.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The Latin word goes back to an Indo-European root also seen in the name of Juno, and in [[en|young]], [[de|jung]] and [[sa|युवन्|tr=yuvan]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873) Cognate with [[ro|june]], [[it|giovane]], [[es|joven]], [[ca|jove]], [[oc|jove]] and [[pt|jovem]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found at the start of the 12th century, in the prologue of the ''Vie de saint Alexis'': ''la sue spuse juvene'' “his young wife”, meaning “not far advanced in age”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Set phrases formed early: ''jeune homme'' (about 1160) and ''jeune fille'' (15th century); ''jeunes gens'' now serves as their plural.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) From the 14th century it was used of animals and plants, and, from 1873 of things, as in ''montagne jeune''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From the 13th century the stress fell on the traits of youth: favourable ones (“fresh, vigorous”) and unfavourable ones, “naive, inexperienced” (1213).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) From 1536 it indicated a person's age relative to others, as opposed to ''aîné'' or ''ancien'', and it can mean “new” in a state or trade (''jeunes mariés'').^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Familiar ''c'est un peu jeune'' “that's a bit short” dates from 1690.^(DHLF 1992) The noun ''les jeunes'', young people as a social group, has become very common.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 12th century – ''Juvene'' in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1160 – ''Jeune homme''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1213 – The sense “inexperienced, foolish”.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ * 1354–1376 – Used of animals (''joenne cerf'') and of trees.^(TLFi)

+ * 15th century – ''Jeune fille''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ * 1536 – Used of age relative to a post or to others.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1690 – ''Un peu jeune'' “rather insufficient”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|young]]: not far advanced in age: ''être jeune'', ''mourir jeune''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Recently become something: ''jeunes mariés'', ''jeune dans le métier''.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Having the look or qualities of youth: ''rester jeune''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Younger, the junior of two of the same name: ''Pline le Jeune''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Insufficient, a bit short: ''c'est un peu jeune''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A young person, ''les jeunes'': young people, [[m|en|youth]].^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A young animal.^(Larousse)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''S'habiller jeune'': to dress in a youthful way.^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[jeunesse]]

+ * [[rajeunir]]

+ * [[jouvence]]

+ * [[juvénile]]

+ * [[la|iuvenis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Jeune'' must not be confused with ''jeûne'' “fast”, from a different Latin word.^(TLFi)^(FEW|5, 33a)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}