puissant French · revision 16893

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɥi.sɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''puissant''' (feminine puissante, masculine plural puissants, feminine plural puissantes)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|puisant]], [[m|fro|poissant]] (12th and 13th centuries).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an old present participle of [[pouvoir]], formed on the stems of the verb in pois-, puis- (compare the subjunctive “qu’il puisse”), first [[m|fro|poissant]] and then remade after the forms in puis-; the modern participle is [[pouvant]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary) The verb goes back to [[la|possum|alt=posse|t=to be able]].^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873) It ousted the older type [[m|fro|podent]] (about 980), derived from the old infinitive [[m|fro|podeir]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) uses it for a person with great power: ''li amirals est riches et puisant'' “the emir is rich and mighty”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Wace (1155) has ''poissant'' for “vigorous, strong”, sometimes with the shade “stout, fat” (1587), which the Trévoux dictionary (1771) thought a middle-class usage.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1220 it was said of an effective thing, in 1546 of an imposing fleet or army, and in 1540 of a person of great wealth, showing the link between power and riches also seen in [[riche]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ As a noun it is old (late 12th century, ''Deu lo tot possant'' “God the almighty”); ''les puissants du siècle'' “the powerful of this world” is in Lefèvre d'Étaples's Bible (1530).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It was said of a powerful machine or engine only recently (1975).^(DHLF 1992) La Fontaine's line ''selon que vous serez puissant ou misérable'' is often quoted.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 1155 – ''Poissant'' “strong”, in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * late 12th century – As a noun: ''Deu lo tot possant''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1220 – “Effective”, of a thing.^(TLFi)

+ * 1530 – ''Les puissans du siècle''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1546 – Of a fleet or army.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1975 – Of a machine.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|powerful|alt=Powerful]], [[m|en|mighty]], having great power or influence: ''un personnage puissant'', ''un pays puissant''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Physically strong, [[m|en|vigorous]]: ''une musculature puissante''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # Producing a great effect; strong, potent: ''un remède puissant'', ''un moteur puissant''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''Les puissants'': the powerful, those who hold power or wealth: ''les puissants de ce monde''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[puissance]]

+ * [[puissamment]]

+ * [[tout-puissant]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pouvoir]]

+ * [[la|possum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}