lune French · revision 16714

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=ine-pro *lewk-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /lyn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lune''' ''f'' (plural lunes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|lūna|t=moon; lunar month]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|5, 446a) The Latin word is from [[itc-pro|*louksnā]], a feminine noun from an old adjective meaning “the bright one”, built on the Indo-European root [[ine-pro|*lewk-|t=to shine, give light]], also behind [[luire]], [[lumière]] and [[lucide]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary) It replaced an older masculine name of the moon, the one kept in [[mois]] and [[menstrues]], which was the object of a taboo since the moon was thought to have dangerous powers.^(DHLF 1992) Littré's derivation from Lucina, a name of Juno or Diana, is outdated.^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|lună]], [[it|luna]], [[oc|luna]], [[ca|lluna]], [[es|luna]] and [[pt|lua]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) has it for the Earth's satellite: ''Claire est la nuit e la lune luisant'' “the night is clear and the moon shining”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Thevet (1556) has ''lune'' for a lunar month, a sense later lost to [[lunaison]] except in traditional reckonings.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The word keeps the idea of a period in ''pleine lune'' (''plaine lune'', late 12th century) and ''nouvelle lune'' (1530), and Fontenelle (1686) applies it to the satellite of another planet.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi) ''Lune de miel'' (Voltaire, 1748, ''lune du miel'') is a calque of [[en|honeymoon]], recorded from 1546.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Old beliefs about the moon's effect on behaviour lie behind many phrases: ''tenir un quartier de lune'' “to be a little mad” (about 1495), ''lune'' “whim, fancy” (Richelet, 1680), ''être dans sa bonne, sa mauvaise lune'' (1808) and ''être dans la lune'' “to be absent-minded”; the sense “menstrual period” (1585) is of the same origin.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) By likeness of shape, ''pleine lune'' was used of a big round face (1640) and slang ''lune'' of the backside (1872); ''lune d'eau'' is the white water-lily (1529).^(TLFi) ''Vieilles lunes'' “things long past” is recorded in 1873.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – The Moon, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * Late 12th century – ''Plaine lune'', Jean Bodel.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1495 – ''Tenir un quartier de lune''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1529 – ''Lune d'eau'' “water-lily”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1530 – ''Nouvelle lune'', Palsgrave.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1556 – “Lunar month”, Thevet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1640 – ''Pleine lune'' “round face”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1680 – “Whim”, Richelet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1686 – Satellite of another planet, Fontenelle.^(TLFi)

+ * 1748 – ''Lune du miel'', Voltaire.^(TLFi)

+ * 1873 – ''Vieilles lunes''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|moon]]; its appearance from the Earth: ''pleine lune'', ''nouvelle lune'', ''croissant de lune'', ''clair de lune''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A natural [[m|en|satellite]] of a planet: ''les lunes de Jupiter''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(literary)'' A lunar month.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Lune de miel'': [[m|en|honeymoon]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Être dans la lune'': to be [[m|en|absent-minded]], ''tomber de la lune'', to be astonished, ''demander la lune'', to ask for the impossible.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' A whim, mood: ''être dans sa bonne lune''.^(TLFi)

+ # ''Vieilles lunes'': outdated ideas, things of the past.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(slang)'' The backside.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[lunaison]]

+ * [[lunette]]

+ * [[luné]]

+ * [[alunir]]

+ * [[demi-lune]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lunaire]]

+ * [[lunatique]]

+ * [[lundi]]

+ * [[lunule]]

+ * [[la|luna]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}