importance French · revision 16647

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=third quarter of the 15th century, Georges Chastellain|origins=la portō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃.pɔʁ.tɑ̃s/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''importance''' ''f'' (plural importances)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|it|importanza|t=importance; important affair; authority]] (late 14th–early 15th century), from [[m|it|importare|t=to matter]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) The Italian verb is from [[la|importō|t=to bring in]], from [[m|la|portō|t=to carry]] (see [[importer]]).^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) Wiktionary instead derives it from [[la-med|importantia]], and Littré from [[important]].^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Georges Chastellain's chronicle (third quarter of the 15th century) uses it for an important event and for a person's authority or influence: ''quelque chose d'importance''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Commynes (late 15th century) has ''lieu de grant importance'', the quality of what is important.^(TLFi) ''Faire l'homme d'importance'' “to act important” is in Molière (1659), and the pejorative sense, a self-important air, follows in Corneille (1662).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) ''L'importance est de'' “the main thing is” is in Retz (1660), and ''attacher de l'importance à'' in d'Alembert (before 1783).^(GLLF 1989) The sense “size, scale” (''l'importance des dégâts'') dates from about 1770 (Rousseau).^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Third quarter of the 15th century – Georges Chastellain.^(TLFi)

+ * Late 15th century – ''Lieu de grant importance'', Commynes.^(TLFi)

+ * 1659 – ''Faire l'homme d'importance'', Molière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1660 – ''L'importance est de'', Retz.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1770 – “Size, extent”, Rousseau.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|importance]], significance: ''une affaire de la plus haute importance'', ''cela n'a pas d'importance'', it doesn't matter.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Attacher de l'importance à'': to attach importance to.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Size, scale: ''l'importance des dégâts''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Social standing, influence, ''(pejorative)'' self-importance: ''un air d'importance''.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''D'importance'': important, ''(old)'' soundly: ''rosser d'importance''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[inimportance]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[important]]

+ * [[importer]]

+ * [[porter]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}