métier French · revision 16632

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=881, Cantilène de sainte Eulalie (menestier)|origins=la minister}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /me.tje/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''métier''' ''m'' (plural métiers)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Menestier'' (881), ''mistier'' (about 980), ''mestier'' (about 1050); the Académie wrote ''mestier'' in 1694 and 1718, ''métier'' from 1740.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|mestier]], [[inh|la-vul|*misterium]], from [[la|ministerium|t=office of a servant, service, function]], from [[m|la|minister|t=servant]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|6/2, 118b)^(Wiktionary) The shorter Vulgar Latin form is explained either as a contraction of the Latin word or, as the TLFi and Rey prefer, by crossing with [[m|la|mystērium|t=mystery; rite, Mass]], since in Christian Latin their meanings were close: the priest is the servant of God who renews the mystery of Christ.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) It is thus the popular doublet of the learned [[ministère]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|mestiere]], [[pro|mestier]], [[es|menester]] and [[pt|mister]].^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Cantilène de sainte Eulalie'' (881) has ''lo Deo menestier'' “the service of God”, of the young martyr who would not be turned from it.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From about 1050 it was a function, a service of any kind, Marie de France (about 1170) has ''femme de mestier'' for a prostitute.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In the 12th century it became the exercise of a profession, first the profession of arms (about 1165), then paid work (about 1200).^(DHLF 1992) ''Gens de mestier'' meant the learned (1180) before meaning craftsmen and workmen in the 15th and 16th centuries, ''les mestiers'' were the guilds (1316).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) From the Medieval Latin sense “need”, Old French ''avoir mestier'' meant “to be of use” (''Chanson de Roland'') and “to need”, still alive in the classical language.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The weaving frame, ''métier à tisser'', is recorded about 1200 (Jean Renart).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 881 – ''Menestier'' “service of God”, ''Eulalie''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1050 – “Function, service”, ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Avoir mestier'' “to be of use”, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1165 – The profession of arms.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1200 – A weaving frame, Jean Renart.^(TLFi)

+ * 1316 – ''Les mestiers'', the guilds.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|trade]], craft, profession: ''apprendre un métier'', ''corps de métier'', ''il n'y a pas de sot métier''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A job, occupation: ''faire son métier'', ''le métier de parent''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Skill, experience: ''avoir du métier''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A [[m|en|loom]], frame: ''métier à tisser'', ''métier à broder''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ministère]]

+ * [[ministre]]

+ * [[mystère]]

+ * [[la|ministerium]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}