copain French · revision 16501

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1838|origins=la pānis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ.pɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''copain''' ''m'' (plural copains, feminine copine)^(Wiktionary)

+ Earlier ''copin'' (1708, 1843), ''compaing'' (1883), ''compain'' (1919); the spelling ''copain'' became fixed in the 20th century.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ The feminine is [[copine]] (before 1883).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|compain]] with its vowel denasalized, “compain” was the old nominative of [[compagnon]], and the form “coppin” “companion” is already in Molinet, after 1450.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|2, 967b) The GLLF calls it a Norman-Picard form.^(GLLF 1989) “Compain” is from [[la-lat|compāniō|t=companion]], literally “one who shares bread”, from [[m|la|com-]] and [[m|la|pānis|t=bread]], Wiktionary takes it as a calque of [[gmw-pro|*gahlaibō]].^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An isolated record in Furetière (1708), ''copin'' “a tall, foolish simpleton”, may not be the same word, ''copain'' “comrade” is recorded in 1838, and Balzac has ''copin'' in 1843.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Littré records it as a schoolboy term, a comrade one shares with.^(Littré 1873) It is a familiar word for a good comrade, between a mere ''camarade'' and an ''ami'', sometimes with the pejorative idea of an accomplice (''les copains et les coquins''); about 1895 it became, like ''petit ami'', a euphemism for a lover, and ''petit copain'' means a boyfriend.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary) ''Être copain'', ''copain-copain'' is used as an adjective.^(DHLF 1992) The derivatives [[copiner]] (1928), [[copinerie]] (1936) and [[copinage]] (1946) followed.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * After 1450 – ''Coppin'' “companion”, Molinet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1708 – ''Copin'' “simpleton”, Furetière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1838 – ''Copain'' “comrade”.^(TLFi)

+ * Before 1883 – ''Copine''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1895 – “Lover”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1928 – ''Copiner''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(familiar)'' A [[m|en|friend]], [[m|en|pal]], mate: ''un copain de classe'', ''salut les copains''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(familiar)'' ''Petit copain'': a [[m|en|boyfriend]].^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(pejorative)'' ''Les copains'': cronies: ''les petits copains''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(familiar)'' Friendly, pally: ''ils sont très copains'', ''copains comme cochons''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[copine]]

+ * [[copiner]]

+ * [[copinage]]

+ * [[copinerie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[compagnon]]

+ * [[compagnie]]

+ * [[pain]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}