dernier French · revision 16369

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1210–1220, Aimeri de Narbonne (derrenier)|origins=la retrō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɛʁ.nje/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /dɛʁ.njɛ.ʁ‿/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /dɛʁ.nje.ʁ‿/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dernier''' (feminine dernière, masculine plural derniers, feminine plural dernières)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''derrain'' (before 1150), ''derrenier'' (1210–1220), contracted to ''dernier'' in the 15th–16th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a contraction of [[m|fro|derrenier]], formed on [[der|fro|derrain|t=last]] by analogy with [[premier]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|3, 48b) “Derrain”, earlier “dererain”, comes from [[la-vul|*dēretrānus]], a derivative in “-ānus” of [[la-lat|dēretrō|t=behind]] (from [[m|la|dē]] and [[m|la|retrō]]), which also gave [[derrière]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ “Derrain” was still used at the start of the 16th century, and survives in dialects of the north-east and far west; another type, “derrier”, is found south of a line from the Loire to southern Wallonia.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Related Romance forms are [[pro|darreiran]] and [[it|deretano]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in 1210–1220 in ''Aimeri de Narbonne'', in the phrase ''estre au derrenier'' “to be behind all the others”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 13th century it was used of rank, the last in a list (1225–30, Guillaume de Lorris), and of time, as in Jean de Meun's ''li darrenierz jorz'' (1269–78).^(TLFi) Phrases followed for what has nothing after it: ''darrenieres paroles'' (early 14th century, Joinville) and ''derreniere voulenté'' (1461, Villon).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From the 15th century it also meant “most recent” (''ces derniers ans'', 1560–61).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) By exaggeration it came to mean “extreme” (''le dernier supplice'', 1559) and “the worst” (1568), as in ''le dernier des derniers'' (1768).^(DHLF 1992) ''Petit dernier'' “youngest child” is found in 1615 and ''dernier-né'' in 1691.^(BHVF)^(DHLF 1992) Slang shortened it to ''der'' (1835), as in ''la der des ders'', the war meant to be the last.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1150 – Old French ''derrain''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1210–1220 – ''Au derrenier'' in ''Aimeri de Narbonne''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1269–1278 – ''Li darrenierz jorz'' in Jean de Meun's ''Roman de la Rose''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1461 – ''Derreniere voulenté'' “last will” in Villon.^(TLFi)

+ * 1559 – The contracted form ''dernier'' and the sense “extreme”.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ * 1615 – ''Le petit dernier'', the youngest child.^(BHVF)

+ * 1691 – ''Dernier-né''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1740 – ''Avant-dernier''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|last]]: coming after all the others: ''le dernier mois de l'année''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # After which there is no other: ''pour la dernière fois'', ''dernières volontés''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Most recent, [[m|en|latest]]: ''l'an dernier'', ''la dernière mode''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Extreme, utmost: ''au dernier degré''; also the worst, the lowest: ''le dernier des hommes''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Ce dernier'': the [[m|en|latter]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The last one: ''arriver le dernier'', ''le petit dernier'', the youngest child.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[avant-dernier]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[derrière]]

+ * [[dernièrement]]

+ * [[premier]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ After the noun it means “just past” (''l'an dernier''), before it “last in a series” (''la dernière année'').^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}