prisonnier French · revision 16708

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1176–81, Chrétien de Troyes, Chevalier au lion (prisonier)|origins=la prehendō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁi.zɔ.nje/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prisonnier''' ''m'' (plural prisonniers, feminine prisonnière)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''prisonier'', ''prisonnier'' from the late 12th century.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+ The Académie gave only the masculine in 1694 and 1718, and both genders from 1740.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|prison|-ier]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary) [[prison]] continues [[la|prēnsiō|alt=prē(n)siōnem|t=a seizing, arrest]], for classical [[m|la|prehēnsiō]], from [[m|la|prehendō|t=to seize]], Old French [[m|fro|preison]] took its modern form under the influence of [[pris]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The new word replaced Old French [[m|fro|prison]], masculine, “one who is taken, prisoner”, found from the 11th century (as [[m|fro|prisun]]).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ Compare [[pro|preisonier]], [[es|prisionero]] and [[it|prigioniere]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Chrétien de Troyes's ''Chevalier au lion'' (1176–81) has ''prisonier'' for someone taken in war.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Bloch and Wartburg note that it was rare in Old French, which mostly said ''prison''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The adjective appears in Baudouin de Condé (1240–80: ''cartre prisouniere'').^(TLFi) Later phrases include ''prisonnier de bonne guerre'' (1475, letters of Louis XI), ''prendre prisonnier'' (1530), ''faire quelqu'un prisonnier'' (Marot, about 1530), ''prisonnier de guerre'' (Nicot, 1606) and ''prisonnier d'État'' (Richelet, 1679).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) The figurative sense, someone held captive by habits or feelings, is recorded in the 20th century, and Bescherelle (1845) has a technical use for a part held captive in another.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1080 – The older ''prisun'' “prisoner”, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1176–81 – ''Prisonier'', Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * 1240–80 – The adjective, Baudouin de Condé.^(TLFi)

+ * 1475 – ''Prisonnier de bonne guerre''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1530 – ''Faire quelqu'un prisonnier'', Marot.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1606 – ''Prisonnier de guerre'', Nicot.^(TLFi)

+ * 1679 – ''Prisonnier d'État'', Richelet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1845 – Technical sense, Bescherelle.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person captured by the enemy in a war: ''échange de prisonniers'', ''prisonnier de guerre'', ''faire quelqu'un prisonnier''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # A [[m|en|prisoner]], a person held in prison, ''prisonnier politique''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(technical)'' A part held fast in another, such as a stud or bolt.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Held captive, ''(figurative)'' ''prisonnier de'', a prisoner of (one's habits, a role).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prison]]

+ * [[emprisonner]]

+ * [[prendre]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}