léger French · revision 17168

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /le.ʒe/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA: /le.ʒe.ʁ‿/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''léger''' (feminine légère, masculine plural légers, feminine plural légères)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''legier'', ''léger'' from the 14th century.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|legier]], from popular Latin [[inh|la-vul|*leviārius]], derived from [[m|la|levis|t=light; of little importance; fickle]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|5, 287a)^(Wiktionary) The form presupposes an intermediate “*levius”, which Old French “liége” attests.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[pro|leugier]], [[ca|lleuger]], [[es|ligero]], [[pt|ligeiro]] and [[it|leggero|alt=leggiere]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) ''legier'' means of little weight, of armour: ''le blanc osberc leger'' “the light white hauberk”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It also meant nimble: ''cil bachelier leger''.^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Senses multiplied in Old French: of low density, of a stone (early 12th century); easy (''de legier'' “easily”, about 1170); easy to bear (about 1165); of little importance (early 13th century).^(TLFi) Of a person it meant lacking seriousness (1174) and fickle (early 13th century), now only in matters of love (1573, ''femme légère'').^(DHLF 1992) A coin ''léger'' lacked its proper weight (1589).^(TLFi)

+

+ Furetière (1690) records a light meal and a light wind, and Beaumarchais (1775) a faint noise; a light tea or scent is from 1732.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Que la terre lui soit légère !'' is in Furetière (1690), after Ronsard's ''la terre soit légère à ses os''.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 1170 – ''De legier'' “easily”, Béroul.^(TLFi)

+ * 1174 – Lacking seriousness.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1200 – ''Légèreté''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1573 – Fickle in love.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1690 – ''Repas léger'', Furetière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1775 – ''Bruit léger'', Beaumarchais.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|light]], not heavy: ''léger comme une plume'', ''un métal léger''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Light, easy to digest: ''un repas léger''; weak: ''un café léger''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Slight, faint: ''un léger accent'', ''un bruit léger'', ''une blessure légère''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # [[m|en|nimble]], agile: ''d'un pas léger''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Thin, fine, delicate: ''une étoffe légère'', ''tenue légère''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+ # Frivolous, thoughtless, ''(dated)'' fickle in love: ''une femme légère''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''À la légère'': lightly, without thinking.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[légèrement]]

+ * [[légèreté]]

+ * [[chevau-léger]]

+ * [[superléger]]

+ * [[ultraléger]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[liège]]

+ * [[alléger]]

+ * [[lever]]

+ * [[la|levis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}