genou French · revision 17148

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 10th century, Passion de Clermont (genolz)|origins=la genū}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʒə.nu/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''genou''' ''m'' (plural genoux)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French singular ''genoil'' (1080), plural ''genolz'' (end of the 10th century), ''genous'' (1273); ''genou'' was drawn from the plural about 1360.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) The Académie (1694–1740) also gave ''genouil'', pronounced like ''genou''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|genoil]], [[inh|la-lat|genuculum|t=knee]], a crossing of classical [[m|la|geniculum|t=little knee]] with [[m|la|genū|t=knee]], of which “geniculum” is the diminutive.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|4, 112b)^(Wiktionary) The modern singular comes from the plural “genolz”, “genous”, written “genoux”.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) “Genū” corresponds to [[grc|γόνυ|tr=gónu]] and to forms in Indo-Iranian, and to [[en|knee]] and [[de|Knie]], Rey links the name with the root “*gen-” “to be born”, after the custom of recognising a newborn by placing it on its father's knees, while the Petit Robert gives a root “*genu-” “joint”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

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+ Cognate with [[ro|genunchi]], [[it|ginocchio]], [[oc|genolh]], [[ca|genoll]] and [[pt|joelho]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Passion'' of Clermont (end of the 10th century) has the plural: ''De davant lui tuit a genolz'' “all on their knees before him”.^(TLFi) The ''Chanson de Roland'' has ''Sur son genoill en fiert son destre gant''.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''À genoux'' is found literally in 1273 and figuratively, of a submissive attitude, in 1665, ''ployer les genoux'' is in Malherbe and ''se jeter aux genoux de qqn'' in 1531.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) By analogy it named the joint of a quadruped's foreleg (1690) and, in technical use, a joint in general (1573 in seamanship, 1845 in mechanics).^(DHLF 1992) Old French often said ''à genoillons'' for “on one's knees”.^(Littré 1873) ''Être sur les genoux'', to be exhausted, is from 1900, and the knee of trousers from 1832.^(GLLF 1989)^(BHVF) A bald head has been ''un genou'' since 1842.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 10th century – ''Genolz'', ''Passion''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1080 – ''Genoil'', ''Chanson de Roland''.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1273 – ''À genous'', Adenet.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1360 – The singular ''genou'', Froissart.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1665 – ''À genoux'', figuratively.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1690 – Of a horse.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1740 – The Académie notes that ''genou'' is the usual spelling.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|knee]]: ''se mettre à genoux'', ''être à genoux devant qqn'', ''faire du genou à qqn'', to play footsie.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|lap]]: ''prendre un enfant sur ses genoux''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # The joint of a quadruped's foreleg.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(technical)'' A joint, a ball joint.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(familiar)'' ''Être sur les genoux'': to be worn out, ''chauve comme un genou'', bald as a coot.^(GLLF 1989)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[agenouiller]]

+ * [[genouillère]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[génuflexion]]

+ * [[géniculé]]

+ * [[la|genū]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}