neige French · revision 16832

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=c. 1325 (naige)|origins=la nix}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /nɛʒ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''neige''' ''f'' (plural neiges)^(Wiktionary)

+ Middle French ''naige'' (about 1325), ''nege'', ''noige''.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a deverbal noun [[der|fr|neiger|t=to snow]],^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary) which continues [[la-vul|*niviō|t=to snow]] (REW) or, according to Bloch and Wartburg, [[m|la-vul|*nivicō]], replacing classical [[la|ninguō]].^(REW 1935)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ It displaced the inherited Old French noun [[m|fro|noif]] (spelled [[m|fro|neif]] in the Song of Roland), from [[m|la|nix|t=snow]], and pushed it out to the edges of the Gallo-Romance area, where it survives in the North-East and East.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|7, 157a) The TLFi gives two reasons: the old noun was no longer felt to be connected with the verb, and it clashed with [[m|fro|noiz|t=nut]].^(TLFi) It also displaced a northern [[m|fro|nive]] (about 1350).^(TLFi)

+

+ The Latin word gave [[pro|neu]], [[ca|neu]], [[es|nieve]], [[pt|neve]], [[it|neve]] and [[ro|nea]].^(TLFi) Littré compares [[got|𐍃𐌽𐌰𐌹𐍅𐍃|tr=snaiws]], [[de|Schnee]] and [[en|snow]], which show that Latin lost an initial ⟨s⟩.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found as ''naige'' in Watriquet de Couvin (about 1325–29), meaning [[m|en|snow]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Villon's refrain ''Mais où sont les neiges d'antan ?'' (1461) gave the phrase ''les neiges d'antan''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) Its whiteness made it a comparison for a white beard (1360–70) and, by metonymy, for white hair (Ronsard, 1555); its fragility gave ''de neige'' “of no value” (1585); its way of balling up gave the snowball image of things that grow, ''faire boule de neige''.^(TLFi)^(BHVF) Ronsard has ''nége eternelle'' (1550), and the Académie ''neiges éternelles'' (1835).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ In cooking, ''neige de crème'' is whipped cream in Rabelais (1552), and ''œufs à la neige'' are recorded in 1798.^(TLFi) In criminals' slang it has meant cocaine since 1921.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – The older word ''neif'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1325 – ''Naige'', Watriquet de Couvin.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(TLFi)

+ * 1461 – ''Les neiges d'antan'', Villon.^(TLFi)

+ * 1552 – ''Neige de crème'', Rabelais; [[neigeux]].^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1798 – ''Œufs à la neige'', Académie.^(TLFi)

+ * 1921 – “Cocaine”, in criminals' slang.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|snow]]: frozen water falling in light white flakes, ''bonhomme de neige'', snowman, ''boule de neige'', snowball, ''neiges éternelles'', perpetual snow.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Les neiges'': snowy mountains, a winter-sports resort.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Neige carbonique'': dry ice.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(cooking)'' Beaten egg whites: ''œufs à la neige''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Snow on a television screen.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(slang)'' [[m|en|cocaine]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[neiger]]

+ * [[neigeux]]

+ * [[déneiger]]

+ * [[enneiger]]

+ * [[enneigement]]

+ * [[chasse-neige]]

+ * [[perce-neige]]

+ * [[motoneige]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[névé]]

+ * [[nivôse]]

+ * [[la|nix]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}