animal French · revision 17155

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 12th century|origins=la anima}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.ni.mal/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''animal''' ''m'' (plural animaux)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[bor|la|animal|t=living being]], derived from [[m|la|anima|t=breath, life]] (see [[âme]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|24, 590b)^(Wiktionary) The adjective (13th century) is from the Latin derivative [[m|la|animālis|t=living, animate]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(FEW|24, 593a) The Latin word named any living being with the breath of life and translated [[grc|ζῷον|tr=zôion]]; from Varro it could be opposed to “homo”, but it normally included humans and never plants, while everyday Latin said [[m|la|bēstia]] (see [[bête]]).^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) Its neuter plural “animālia” gave the old French [[aumaille]] “cattle”, an inherited doublet.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Compare [[es|animal]] and [[it|animale]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found at the end of the 12th century, rare and learned in the Middle Ages.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It came into wider use in the 16th century, remaining more general and more didactic than [[bête]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Like ''bête'' it became a mild insult for a person (1537), and in the 17th century it was applied familiarly to women, as in Molière.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In its main use it applies mostly to the higher animals, birds and above all mammals, as in ''animaux domestiques''.^(DHLF 1992) The adjective was influenced by the noun, as in ''règne animal''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 12th century – First recorded.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 13th century – The adjective.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1537 – As an insult.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1564 – ''Animalcule''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1755 – ''Animalité'', Rousseau.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|animal]], a living being that can feel and move, as opposed to plants: ''l'homme est un animal raisonnable''.^(Littré 1873)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # An animal as opposed to a human, a [[m|en|beast]]: ''animaux sauvages'', ''animaux domestiques''.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(familiar, pejorative)'' A coarse or stupid person; also an affectionate insult: ''quel animal !''^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of animals: ''le règne animal'', ''graisse animale''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Of the animal nature in humans, physical, instinctive: ''une confiance animale''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[animalcule]]

+ * [[animalier]]

+ * [[animalerie]]

+ * [[animalité]]

+ * [[animaliser]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[aumaille]]

+ * [[âme]]

+ * [[bête]]

+ * [[la|animal]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}