bête French · revision 16487

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (beste)|origins=la bēstia}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bɛt/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /bɛːt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bête''' ''f'' (plural bêtes)^(Wiktionary)

+ Long written ''beste''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|beste]], from [[la|bēstia|t=animal, beast]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|1, 340b) The Latin word, of unknown origin, was the popular word for any animal; the regular popular development “bīstia” gave [[biche]], and the classical form was kept, probably through “*bestie” according to Rey and the Grand Robert, or through a popular “*besta” according to the GLLF and Guiraud.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) Wiktionary thinks Old French “beste” was probably partly borrowed from classical Latin.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|bestie]], [[it|bestia]], [[oc|bestia]], [[es|bestia]] and [[pt|besta]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) has ''beste'' for a horse and for wild beasts: ''Que n'i adeist ne beste ne lion'', “that neither beast nor lion come near”.^(Littré 1873)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As the general word for any animal except man, it covers domestic livestock (''les bêtes'', compare [[bétail]]), dangerous wild animals, game, small creatures and imaginary monsters (''la bête du Gévaudan''); it is more popular and affective than [[animal]].^(DHLF 1992) From 1160–70 it was used for the instinctive, unreasoning side of man, as in Pascal's ''qui veut faire l'ange fait la bête''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Chercher la petite bête'' “to nitpick” is in Barbey d'Aurevilly, and ''bête noire'' is a pet hate.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

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+ The adjective ''bête'' “stupid” comes from this sense, ''pas si bête!'' is found from 1793.^(BHVF) In Quebec it also means grumpy.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Beste'', ''Chanson de Roland''.^(Littré 1873)

+ * 1160–70 – The animal side of man.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1793 – ''Pas si bête!''.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|beast]], animal (other than a human): ''bête sauvage'', ''bête de somme'', ''bête à cornes''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Les bêtes'': livestock.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A small creature, insect: ''bête à bon Dieu'', ladybird.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' The animal nature in man; a brute.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A fool: ''grosse bête'', ''faire la bête'', to play dumb.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # In phrases: ''bête noire'' (pet hate), ''chercher la petite bête'' (to nitpick), ''bête de scène'' (a born performer).^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|stupid]], foolish: ''bête comme ses pieds''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Silly, regrettable: ''c'est bête, j'ai oublié''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Quebec, familiar)'' Grumpy, nasty.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bêtise]]

+ * [[bêtement]]

+ * [[bêta]]

+ * [[bébête]]

+ * [[abêtir]]

+ * [[embêter]]

+ * [[bêtifier]]

+ * [[pense-bête]]

+ * [[bêtisier]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[abêtifier]]

+ * [[bestiaire]]

+ * [[bestial]]

+ * [[bestiau]]

+ * [[bestiole]]

+ * [[biche]]

+ * [[bétail]]

+ * [[la|bēstia]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}