herbe French · revision 17050

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛʁb/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Canada): /aɛ̯ʁb/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Louisiana): /æb/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''herbe''' ''f'' (plural herbes)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''erbe'', ''herbe'' from the 13th century.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|herba|t=grass; weeds; young shoot, especially of grain; plant]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|4, 404a) Rey calls the Latin word a pre-Latin rural term of unknown origin, the Petit Robert an obscure one, Wiktionary connects it with [[ine-pro|*gʰreh₁-|t=to grow, become green]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary) Latin already named many plants with “herba” and a qualifier, as “herba Proserpinae” “camomile”.^(TLFi)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|iarbă]], [[it|erba]], [[oc|èrba]], [[ca|herba]], [[es|hierba]] and [[pt|erva]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) it is both a plant with a soft stem, ''De tantes herbes el pré truvat les flors'' “he found the flowers of so many plants in the meadow”, and, collectively, grass: ''Sur l'erbe verte estut devant sun tref'' “he stood on the green grass before his tent”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the ''Roman d'Eneas'' (about 1160) it is a medicinal plant, ''male herbe'' (13th century), then ''mauvaise herbe'' (1316), is a useless weed, and, from Molière (1668) a good-for-nothing person.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Joinville (1306) uses ''herbes'' for seasoning, and ''fines herbes'' appears in 1540.^(TLFi) Countless plant names are formed with it from the 13th century, often with a saint's name or a use, such as ''herbe-aux-chats'' (1547).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ''En herbe'' was said of green, unripe grain in the ''Roman de la Rose'' (1225–1230), and figuratively of young people with promise, ''couper l'herbe sous le pied de qqn'' “to cut the ground from under someone's feet” is in Jacques Yver (1572).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In colloquial use ''l'herbe'' is cannabis.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 1160 – A medicinal herb, ''Roman d'Eneas''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1225–1230 – ''En herbe'', of grain, ''Roman de la Rose''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1316 – ''Mauvaises herbes''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1540 – ''Fines herbes''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1572 – ''Couper l'herbe sous le pied de qqn''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1668 – ''Mauvaise herbe'' of a person, Molière.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(botany)'' A [[m|en|herbaceous]] plant, one without a woody stem.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # [[m|en|grass]]: ''couper l'herbe'', ''s'asseoir dans l'herbe''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A plant used in medicine or cooking: ''herbes médicinales'', ''fines herbes'', culinary [[m|en|herb|alt=herbs]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Mauvaise herbe'': a [[m|en|weed]], ''(figurative)'' a good-for-nothing.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''En herbe'': green, unripe (of grain); ''(figurative)'' budding: ''un artiste en herbe''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Couper l'herbe sous le pied à qqn'': to cut the ground from under someone's feet.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|cannabis]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[herbage]]

+ * [[herbette]]

+ * [[herbier]]

+ * [[herbu]]

+ * [[désherber]]

+ * [[herbicide]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[herbacé]]

+ * [[herber]]

+ * [[herbeux]]

+ * [[herboriste]]

+ * [[la|herba]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}