intérêt French · revision 17133

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1290 (interest)|origins=la intersum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃.te.ʁɛ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''intérêt''' ''m'' (plural intérêts)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''interest'', ''intérêt'' from the 16th century.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|interest|t=it matters; there is a difference]], the impersonal third person singular of [[m|la|intersum|t=to be between; to take part in; to matter]], used as a noun meaning “what matters”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|4, 752b) The Latin verb is from [[m|la|inter|t=between]] and [[m|la|sum|t=to be]] (see [[être]]).^(DHLF 1992) In Medieval Latin the noun “interesse” meant compensation for a broken contract and interest on a loan (about 1200), usury being first seen as compensation for the income the lender could have had.^(DHLF 1992) Littré notes that the other Romance languages took the word from the infinitive, as [[it|interesse]], [[es|interés]] and [[pro|interesse]], while French took the third person.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A document of 1290 from Besançon uses it for damage, harm; the Grand Robert dates it to 1251.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “harm” lasted until the 17th century and lives on in ''dommages et intérêts'' (1343, ''dampmages et interes''), compensation for harm (1377).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Littré remarked how easily the word passed between damage and compensation, whence the profit from money lent (1462).^(Littré 1873)^(TLFi) In 1445 it meant being concerned by something, in 1467 what matters to someone, and, from 1640 self-interest.^(TLFi) Montaigne (1580) uses it for the attention given to a person, Madame de Sévigné (1675) for attention to what captivates the mind, and the Académie (1740) for the quality of a thing that holds attention.^(TLFi) A share in a business is recorded by Furetière (1690).^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1290 – Damage, harm.^(TLFi)

+ * 1343 – ''Dampmages et interes''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1377 – Compensation.^(TLFi)

+ * 1462 – Interest on a loan.^(TLFi)

+ * 1467 – What matters to someone, Chastellain.^(TLFi)

+ * 1580 – Interest taken in someone, Montaigne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1640 – Self-interest.^(TLFi)

+ * 1740 – The interest of a thing, Académie.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|interest]], attention, curiosity: ''écouter avec intérêt'', ''porter de l'intérêt à''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # The quality of being interesting: ''un livre sans intérêt''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # What is to someone's advantage: ''dans l'intérêt de tous'', ''l'intérêt général'', ''avoir intérêt à''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # Self-interest: ''agir par intérêt''.^(TLFi)

+ # ''(finance)'' Interest on money: ''taux d'intérêt'', ''prêter à intérêt''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # A share, stake in a business: ''avoir des intérêts dans une société''.^(TLFi)

+ # ''(law)'' ''Dommages et intérêts'': damages.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[intéresser]]

+ * [[désintéresser]]

+ * [[désintéressement]]

+ * [[coïntéressé]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[intéressant]]

+ * [[être]]

+ * [[la|interest]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}