génial French · revision 16627

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing, derivation|attested=1509, Jean Lemaire de Belges|origins=la genius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʒe.njal/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''génial''' (feminine géniale, masculine plural géniaux, feminine plural géniales)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It was first borrowed from [[la|geniālis|t=of birth; nuptial; festive; fruitful]], from [[m|la|genius|t=tutelary spirit]], in the sense “pleasant, voluptuous” (1509).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) Its modern sense is a new derivation [[af|fr|génie|-al]], from “génie” “exceptional ability” (1837).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|4, 100a) Littré only knew the Latin sense, which [[en|genial]] kept.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Jean Lemaire de Belges's ''Illustrations de Gaule'' (1509) uses it for “pleasant, voluptuous”, Palsgrave (1530) has it for “in keeping with a person's nature”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Barbey d'Aurevilly (1837) gave it its modern sense, “bearing the mark of genius”: ''c'est surtout la pose qui est géniale'', Maupassant (1888) applies it to a person who has genius.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In the 20th century it weakened to “ingenious”, and, from about 1980 schoolchildren used it as a vague term of praise, like ''super''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) The adverb ''génialement'' is found in 1613 but was rare before 1869.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1509 – “Pleasant, voluptuous”, Jean Lemaire de Belges.^(TLFi)

+ * 1837 – “Bearing the mark of genius”, Barbey d'Aurevilly.^(TLFi)

+ * 1888 – Of a person of genius, Maupassant.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1980 – A general term of praise.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of [[m|en|genius]], inspired: ''une invention géniale''; brilliant, ingenious: ''une idée géniale''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Having genius (of a person): ''un mathématicien génial''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Great, fantastic: ''c'est génial !'', ''un film génial''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[génialement]]

+ * [[génialité]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[génie]]

+ * [[en|genial]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}