rencontre French · revision 16819

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=1234, Huon de Méry (combat)|origins=la contrā}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʁɑ̃.kɔ̃tʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''rencontre''' ''f'' (plural rencontres)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a deverbal noun [[der|fr|rencontrer]],^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) or, according to the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert, a compound of [[re-]] and the old noun [[m|frm|encontre]] for its first senses.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873) Old and Middle French had that noun for meeting someone on one's way (12th century), and the verb is based on an older [[m|fro|encontrer]] (see [[contre]]).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ The word was masculine in all its senses until the 17th century, and remained so in heraldry.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Huon de Méry's ''Antéchrist'' (1234) has it, as a masculine noun, for a fight; the Grand Robert gives the 12th century for “throw of the dice” and “combat”.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Rabelais's ''hardis à la rencontre'' (1534) still means bold in attack, and Montaigne has ''rencontres'' for skirmishes (1580); Froissart had already used ''un dur rencontre''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873) About 1310–40 Jean de Condé uses it for a retort, a sense of the classical ''bons rencontres''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ The modern sense, coming upon someone or something by chance, appears about 1485 in the ''Mystère du Viel Testament'', and was extended to planned meetings; the Petit Robert dates the sense to 1538.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) ''Par rencontre'' “by chance” is in Montaigne (1580), and ''de rencontre'' “chance, second-hand” in Regnard (1697).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) ''Mauvaise rencontre'' is in Furetière (1690), and the sporting sense, a match, in the 20th century.^(GLLF 1989)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1234 – “Fight”, Huon de Méry.^(TLFi)

+ * 1310–40 – “Retort”, Jean de Condé.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1485 – A chance meeting.^(TLFi)

+ * 1534 – ''Hardi à la rencontre'', Rabelais.^(TLFi)

+ * 1580 – ''Par rencontre'' “by chance”, Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1671 – Heraldic sense, still masculine.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – ''Mauvaise rencontre'', Furetière.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|meeting]], an [[m|en|encounter]], by chance or arranged: ''faire une rencontre'', ''aller, venir à la rencontre de quelqu'un'', to go to meet someone.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # A [[m|en|fixture]], a match.^(Wiktionary)^(BHVF)

+ # A clash, a skirmish, ''(dated)'' a duel.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Site de rencontres'': a dating site.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary)'' Chance, coincidence, ''de rencontre'', chance, casual.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[rencontrer]]

+ * [[contre]]

+ * [[malencontre]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In heraldry ''rencontre'' is still masculine, a beast's head seen full face (1671).^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}