masse French · revision 16891

+ French has two main words spelled ''masse'': “mass, bulk”, from Latin ''massa'', and “mace, sledgehammer”, of different origin.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

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+ {{homograph|1|mass}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis|origins=grc μᾶζα}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mas/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''masse''' ''f'' (plural masses)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ The word for a mass is [[inh|la|massa|t=dough; lump, mass]], a borrowing of [[grc|μᾶζα|tr=mâza|t=barley cake; lump]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|6/1, 441b) The Greek word is derived from [[m|grc|μάσσω|tr=mássō|t=to knead]] (see [[magma]]), from an Indo-European root also behind Latin [[m|la|mācerō]] (see [[macérer]]) and the Germanic words for “to make”, such as [[en|make]] and [[de|machen]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

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+ Cognate with [[it|massa]], [[oc|massa]], [[ca|massa]], [[es|masa]] and [[pt|massa]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)^(REW 1935)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (about 1050) has it of people, ''grant masse de ses humes'' “a great crowd of his men”; the ''Chanson de Roland'' has ''grant masse'' of goods.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the 12th century it mostly meant a relatively large quantity of solid or pasty matter without definite shape (about 1170); a 12th-century text says ''un pou de levains mainet tote la masse'' “a little leaven raises the whole lump”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) Hence ''taillé dans la masse'' (1788), ''tomber comme une masse'' (1824) and the scornful ''masse de chair'' “a fat or dull man” (1690).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

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+ From about 1278 it was a mass of distinct elements taken as a whole, and in 1547 the bulk of a building.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It named a set quantity of goods (1385), the assets in a liquidation (1615) and a common fund, in the army (1789) and in artists' studios (1842).^(TLFi)^(BHVF) Of people the sense spread only at the end of the 18th century: ''la masse du peuple'' “the majority” (1789, Marat), ''les masses'' “the common people” (1810), ''se lever en masse'' (1793).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) ''Des masses'' “lots” is familiar (1854); in physics it is the quantity of matter of a body, and in electricity the earth.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''Grant masse de'' “a great crowd of”, in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1170 – A lump of matter.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1275–1280 – A mass of elements taken as a whole, in Jean de Meun.^(TLFi)

+ * 1351 – ''En masse''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1547 – The bulk of a building.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – ''Masse de chair'', in Furetière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1789 – ''La masse du peuple'', in Marat.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1810 – ''Les masses''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1824 – ''Tomber comme une masse'', in Balzac.^(TLFi)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|mass]], a large shapeless quantity of matter: ''masse de pâte'', ''tomber comme une masse'', to collapse heavily.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A whole made of many elements; the bulk (of a building, a mountain).^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A large quantity or number: ''une masse de documents'', ''en masse'', in large numbers, ''(familiar)'' ''des masses'', lots.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''La masse'', ''les masses'': the majority, the common people: ''culture de masse''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(law, finance)'' A fund, the total assets: ''masse salariale'', wage bill.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(physics)'' Mass, the quantity of matter of a body.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(electricity)'' [[m|en|earth|alt=Earth]], ground.^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[massif]]

+ * [[amasser]]

+ * [[ramasser]]

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+ {{homograph|2|mace, sledgehammer}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1135, Couronnement de Louis|origins=la-vul *mattea}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mas/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''masse''' ''f'' (plural masses)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ The word for a mace is inherited from Vulgar Latin, first as Old French [[m|fro|mace]]: Bloch and Wartburg give [[la-vul|*matitia]], formed from [[m|la|mateola|t=a tool for driving in]], and the REW and FEW [[m|la-vul|*mattea|t=club]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(REW 1935)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|6/1, 507b) Diez noted that the Italian form can only come from a Latin [[m|la|*matea]], the supposed base of the diminutive;^(Littré 1873)^(Grand Robert 2005) Guiraud instead proposed a Romance derivative of [[la|mactō|t=to slaughter]], “to fell”.^(Littré 1873)^(Grand Robert 2005) The derivative [[massue]] “club” has the same origin.^(Littré 1873)

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+ Cognate with [[it|mazza]], [[pro|massa]], [[es|maza]] and [[pt|maça]].^(Littré 1873)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(REW 1935)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Couronnement de Louis'' (about 1135) has ''mace de fer'' for a weapon with a metal head, often spiked.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Joinville (1306) speaks of the ''serjant a mace'', an usher carrying a staff with a gold or silver head in ceremonies, as the mace-bearers of universities still do.^(TLFi) ''Masse d'armes'' is recorded in 1498, and in 1508 it is a heavy mallet of wood or iron, the sense of the modern sledgehammer.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005) Its derivatives include [[massier]] “mace-bearer” (about 1350), and in billiards ''masser'' (1867) is to strike the ball almost vertically.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1135 – ''Mace de fer'', a weapon, in the ''Couronnement de Louis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1228 – The form ''masse''.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1306 – ''Serjant a mace'', in Joinville.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1350 – ''Machier'' “mace-bearer”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1498 – ''Masse d'armes''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1508 – A sledgehammer.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|sledgehammer]], a heavy hammer of wood or iron.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ # ''Masse d'armes'': a [[m|en|mace]], a medieval club with a metal head.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A ceremonial mace carried before a dignitary.^(TLFi)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[massier]]

+ * [[massette]]

+ * [[massue]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[magma]]

+ * [[la|massa]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ The Grand Robert gives a third, technical ''masse'' (1339), from [[la|mataxa|t=skein]].^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|6/1, 465a)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}