valeur French · revision 16873

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /va.lœʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''valeur''' ''f'' (plural valeurs)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|valor]], [[m|fro|valur]];^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary) ''valeur'' from the 13th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|valor]], [[inh|la|valor|t=worth, value]], through its accusative [[m|la|valōrem]], from [[m|la|valeō|t=to be strong; to be worth]] (see [[valoir]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|valore]], [[es|valor]] and [[pro|valor]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) already has both senses: a person's worth, ''sa grant valor, ki purreit acunter?'' “his great worth, who could tell it?”, and the usefulness of a thing, in ''aveir valur'' “to be fit for some use”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From a person's worth came “importance” (about 1155, Wace) and “bravery, valour” (about 1175, Benoît de Sainte-Maure), literary since the 17th century;^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''une valeur'' was a person of merit in d'Aubigné (about 1578).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1260 it took the sense of what a thing is worth in money, and ''de valeur'' “very precious” is in Furetière (1690).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Regnard (1705) uses ''valeurs'' for stocks and shares.^(TLFi)

+

+ Specialized senses followed: the value of a word in usage (about 1690), and since Saussure in its system; the length of a note in music (1740); the degree of lightness of a colour in painting (1792); a numerical value in mathematics (1845).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF) ''Mettre en valeur'' meant “to raise to a high position” in 1485 and “to bring (land) into cultivation” in 1690.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In Quebec ''c'est de valeur'' means “it's a pity”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Valor'' “worth”, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1175 – “Bravery”, in Benoît de Sainte-Maure.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1260 – Monetary value.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1400 – The adjective [[valeureux]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1690 – ''Mettre en valeur'' (land), in Furetière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1705 – ''Valeurs'' “securities”, in Regnard.^(TLFi)

+ * 1740 – The value of a note, in the Académie dictionary.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ * 1792 – Tonal value in painting.^(TLFi)

+ * 1845 – A numerical value.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|worth|alt=Worth]], merit, what makes a person estimable: ''un homme de valeur''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary)'' [[m|en|valour|alt=Valour]], bravery.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # The [[m|en|value]] of a thing, especially in money: ''valeur d'un bijou'', ''objets de valeur''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(finance)'' A security: ''valeurs mobilières'', ''valeur sûre'', a safe investment.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Importance, interest, validity: ''jugement de valeur'', ''mettre en valeur'', to highlight, to develop.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A moral or social ideal: ''les valeurs''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(music)'' The length of a note, ''(painting)'' the tonal value of a colour, ''(mathematics)'' a numerical value: ''valeur absolue''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Quebec)'' ''C'est de valeur'': it's a pity.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[valeureux]]

+ * [[valoriser]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[valoir]]

+ * [[vaillant]]

+ * [[la|valor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}