arrière French · revision 16557

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 980 (aredre); c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (arere)|origins=la retrō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.ʁjɛʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''arrière''' ''m'' (plural arrières)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''aredre'' (about 980), ''arere'' (''Chanson de Roland''), ''ariere'', ''arrière'' from the 13th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*adretrō]], a popular Latin compound of [[m|la|ad|t=to]] and [[m|la|retrō|t=backwards, behind]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|24, 180b) “Retrō” is formed from the prefix [[m|la|re-]] and the ending of “intrō”; it also gave Old French “riere” and, through “dē retrō”, [[derrière]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Compare [[it|addietro]] and Old Spanish “arredro”, Littré also cites [[pro|areire]] and [[ca|arreira]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) ''arere'' means backwards, in the direction opposite to that one faces: ''Regarde arere, veit le glouton gesir''.^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old French it served where modern French says ''en arrière''; it also meant “behind” (1430) and, of time, “before” (Villehardouin), a sense kept only in compounds such as ''arrière-grand-père''.^(DHLF 1992) As an interjection it was first a hunting call (about 1375), then an order to step back, ''arrière, Satan !''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) The noun, “the back part” (13th century), named the stern of a ship (1680), and ''en arrière'' became spatial in 1606.^(DHLF 1992) In the plural ''les arrières'' are an army's lines of communication, whence ''assurer ses arrières'', ''l'arrière'' is the home front, as opposed to the ''front'', and a sports back is an ''arrière'' (1900).^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) In Quebec ''arrière'' also means “delay”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 980 – ''Aredre''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

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

+ * 13th century – The noun “back part”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1267 – ''Arrérages''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * c. 1375 – As an interjection.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1606 – ''En arrière'' in space.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1680 – The stern of a ship.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1900 – A back in sports.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''En arrière'': backwards, behind: ''faire un pas en arrière'', ''rester en arrière''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(nautical)'' ''Vent arrière'': a following wind.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Back!, stand back!: ''arrière !'', ''arrière, Satan !''.^(Larousse)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The back, the [[m|en|rear]]: ''l'arrière d'une voiture'', ''à l'arrière''; the stern of a ship.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The home front, as opposed to the front line, ''les arrières'', the rear, ''assurer ses arrières''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(sports)'' A back, a defender.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(invariable)'' Rear, back: ''les sièges arrière'', ''marche arrière'', reverse gear.^(GLLF 1989)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[arriéré]]

+ * [[arrérages]]

+ * [[arrière-boutique]]

+ * [[arrière-garde]]

+ * [[arrière-goût]]

+ * [[arrière-grand-père]]

+ * [[arrière-pays]]

+ * [[arrière-pensée]]

+ * [[arrière-plan]]

+ * [[arrière-saison]]

+ * [[arrière-train]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[derrière]]

+ * [[rétro]]

+ * [[la|retrō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}