étoile French · revision 16842

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (esteile)|origins=la stēlla}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /e.twal/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''étoile''' ''f'' (plural étoiles)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''esteile'' (about 1100), ''estoile'' (about 1175, Chrétien de Troyes); ''étoile'' from 1636 (Monet).^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|esteile]], [[inh|la-vul|*stēla]], for [[la|stēlla|t=star]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|12, 252a)^(Wiktionary) Bloch and Wartburg explain the single ⟨l⟩ by a treatment of ⟨ll⟩ after a long vowel found only in Gallo-Romance and Rhaeto-Romance, as in [[pro|estela]]; elsewhere the forms go back to the classical form: [[it|stella]], [[es|estrella]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992) Rey connects the Latin word with the Indo-European root seen in [[grc|ἀστήρ|tr=astḗr]] and [[la|aster]] (see [[astre]]); the Petit Robert compares [[en|star]] and [[de|Stern]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) It is a doublet of the first name Estelle.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|stea]], [[oc|estela]], [[ca|estel]] and [[pt|estrela]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) ''esteile'' is any heavenly body seen as a bright point at night, except the sun and moon: ''Clere est la lune, les esteiles flambient'' “the moon is bright, the stars blaze”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Philippe de Thaon (1119) calls the planets ''esteiles reials''.^(TLFi) An inventory of Charles V (1380) uses it for an object with rays like those with which stars are drawn, whence ''en étoile'' “radiating”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In astrology (1549, Du Bellay) it is a star that rules a person's fate: ''être né sous une bonne étoile'' (1690).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Compter les étoiles'' (1531) stood for a futile task, an image from the Bible.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From 1849 it is a star of the stage, and later of the screen, and a leading dancer is a ''danseuse étoile''.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)^(GLLF 1989) A five-pointed star is the badge of a general's rank (''gagner ses étoiles''), and ''étoile de mer'' “starfish” dates from the mid-16th century.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 1119 – ''Esteiles reials'' “planets”, Philippe de Thaon.^(TLFi)

+ * 1380 – A star-shaped object.^(TLFi)

+ * 1549 – In astrology, Du Bellay.^(TLFi)

+ * 1636 – The spelling ''étoile'', Monet.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1690 – ''Être né sous une bonne étoile''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1849 – A star of the theatre.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|star]]: ''un ciel plein d'étoiles'', ''étoile filante'', a shooting star, ''l'étoile du matin, du soir'', ''dormir à la belle étoile'', to sleep in the open.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(astronomy)'' A celestial body shining by its own light: ''étoile naine'', ''étoile à neutrons''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A star as ruling one's fate: ''être né sous une bonne étoile'', ''croire en son étoile''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A star-shaped figure or object; a star as a mark of rank or quality: ''un hôtel trois étoiles'', ''étoile de David'', ''étoile jaune''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A famous performer, a ''star'' of stage or screen, ''danseuse étoile'', a principal dancer.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Étoile de mer'': a [[m|en|starfish]].^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A white mark on the forehead of a horse or bull.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[étoilé]]

+ * [[étoiler]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stellaire]]

+ * [[constellation]]

+ * [[astre]]

+ * [[la|stēlla]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}