désoler French · revision 16470

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 12th century, Dialogues of Gregory (desoleit)|origins=la sōlus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /de.zɔ.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''désoler'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|dēsōlō|t=to depopulate, lay waste, (past participle) deserted, forsaken]], an intensive form in [[m|la|dē-]] of [[m|la|sōlō|t=to make solitary]], from [[m|la|sōlus|t=alone]], the source of [[seul]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|3, 54a) In Late Latin it was set against [[m|la|cōnsōlor|t=to console]], and Bloch and Wartburg trace its moral sense to that contrast.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré thought the sense of grief followed from that of making solitary, though “consoler” and “désoler” may have influenced each other.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Compare [[it|desolare]], [[es|desolar]] and [[pt|desolar]]; [[en|desolate]] has the same source.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In a late 12th-century translation of Gregory's ''Dialogues'' ''li aluet desoleit des hommes'' renders Latin ''desolata ab hominibus praedia'', “estates deserted by men”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 1350 it meant “to lay waste, depopulate”, of churches.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The moral sense, “to plunge into deep grief”, appears in the 14th century: ''désolé'' “afflicted” in ''Baudouin de Sebourc'' (1360–1370; about 1330 in the GLLF).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) From 1672 it weakened to “to annoy, put out”, especially in the polite ''je suis désolé'' “I am sorry”, and ''désolant'' “trying” is used of a person in Rousseau's ''Confessions''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The reflexive ''se désoler'' is recorded in 1692.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 12th century – ''Desoleit'' “deserted”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1350 – “To lay waste”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1360–1370 – ''Désolé'' “afflicted”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1672 – “To annoy, put out”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1692 – ''Se désoler''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(literary)'' To lay waste, [[m|en|devastate]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)^(Larousse)

+ # To [[m|en|distress]] deeply, grieve: ''cet échec me désole''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # To annoy, put out: ''ce contretemps me désole''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Se désoler'': to be upset, lament.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(Je suis) désolé'': (I'm) sorry.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[désolant]]

+ * [[désolé]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[désolation]]

+ * [[consoler]]

+ * [[seul]]

+ * [[la|sōlus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}