imbécile French · revision 16969

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1495–1496, Jean de Vignay|origins=la imbecillus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃.be.sil/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''imbécile''' (plural imbéciles)^(Wiktionary)

+ The spelling ''imbecille'' (1508), usual in the 17th century, is still found early in the 19th; the Académie spelled it so from 1694 to 1762.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|imbēcillus|t=weak in body or mind; without character]] (1495–1496),^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|4, 566b) explained as literally “without a staff, without support”, from [[m|la|in-|t=not]] and [[m|la|bacillum|t=little staff]], a diminutive of [[m|la|baculum|t=staff, stick]];^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) Rey relates it to an Indo-European root [[ine-pro|*bak-|t=staff]].^(DHLF 1992) Littré thought the Latin word of doubtful origin, since the vowel lengths of the supposed parts do not agree.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in 1496 in the Latin sense “physically weak”;^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Robert Garnier calls women ''le sexe imbecile'' (1580).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Imbecille de sens'' “weak in mind” (1509) prepared the sense “lacking intelligence”: ''imbecille jugement'' (1548), and of persons in Montaigne (1595).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The Latin sense “lacking moral strength” is in Calvin (1541) and was common in classical French;^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Pascal still calls man an ''imbécile ver de terre'', “feeble earthworm”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Bloch and Wartburg note that the modern sense won out in the 17th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In medicine it meant “feeble-minded” from 1671 (Pomey).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ As an insult it is largely emptied of meaning (''espèce d'imbécile''), like [[idiot]] and [[crétin]];^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) ''imbécile heureux'' is a fool pleased with himself.^(DHLF 1992) [[imbécillité]] is older, from the 14th century (Bersuire).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The adverb [[imbécilement]] (1542) first meant “weakly”; its modern sense is in Saint-Simon.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1496 – “Physically weak”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1509 – ''Imbecille de sens'', “weak-minded”, in Jean Lemaire de Belges.^(TLFi)

+ * 1541 – “Lacking moral strength”, in Calvin.^(TLFi)

+ * 1542 – ''Imbécillement''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1580 – ''Le sexe imbecile'', in Garnier.^(TLFi)

+ * 1595 – Of persons lacking intelligence, in Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1671 – Medical “feeble-minded” (Pomey).^(TLFi)

+ * 1762 – Last Académie edition with ''imbecille''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|stupid|alt=Stupid]], foolish: ''commentaire imbécile''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Weak, [[m|en|feeble]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(medicine, dated)'' Mentally deficient.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|idiot]], a fool, often as an insult: ''espèce d'imbécile'', ''imbécile heureux'', a self-satisfied fool.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(medicine, dated)'' An [[m|en|imbecile]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[imbécilement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[imbécillité]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}