intéressant French · revision 16808

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1718, Académie}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃.te.ʁɛ.sɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃.te.ʁe.sɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''intéressant''' (feminine intéressante, masculine plural intéressants, feminine plural intéressantes)^(Wiktionary)

+ Feminine ''intéressante''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle of [[intéresser]] used as an adjective.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) The verb (1356) is formed on [[intérêt]], after [[la|intersum|alt=interesse|t=to be of importance]];^(TLFi) The noun itself comes from the Latin impersonal form meaning “it matters”, used as a noun.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adjective is first recorded by the Académie in 1718, in the sense “that holds the attention, captures the mind”.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb had meant “to wrong, compromise” in law (1356) and “to hold the attention” in Montaigne (1588).^(TLFi) The Encyclopédie (1765) applies the adjective to persons who attract by their mind or personality, and to what touches the heart and deserves sympathy;^(GLLF 1989) Zola uses the pejorative sense of someone who tries to attract notice.^(GLLF 1989) The sense “advantageous, profitable” appears in 1873, as does the euphemism ''état intéressant'' for pregnancy (''position intéressante'', 1878).^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1356 – The verb [[intéresser]], in law.^(TLFi)

+ * 1588 – “To hold the attention”, Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1718 – ''Intéressant'', Académie.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1765 – Of persons, and “touching”, Encyclopédie.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1873 – “Advantageous”, ''état intéressant''.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|interesting]], that holds the attention: ''un livre intéressant'', ''il serait intéressant de…''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a person: attractive by personality or mind; pejoratively, ''faire l'intéressant'', to show off.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Deserving interest or sympathy.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Advantageous, [[m|en|profitable]].^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(dated)'' ''Être dans un état intéressant'': to be [[m|en|pregnant]].^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[intéresser]]

+ * [[intérêt]]

+ * [[inintéressant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}