pierre French · revision 17269

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 980, Passion de Clermont (peddre)|origins=grc πέτρα}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pjɛʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Belgium, France, Northern): [pçi̯ɛːʁ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Canada): [pjaɛ̯ʁ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Canada): [pjɛːʁ]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pierre''' ''f'' (plural pierres)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|peddre]] (about 980), [[m|fro|perre]] and [[m|fro|piere]] (1080); ''pierre'' from about 1165.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|piere]], [[inh|la|petra|t=rock, crag]], an early borrowing from [[grc|πέτρα|tr=pétra|t=rock]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|8, 313b) The origin of the Greek word is not established, Rey reports Van Windekens' proposal of a form “*skp-etra” from the root of [[m|grc|σκέπτομαι|tr=sképtomai|t=to look at]], a rock that “watches” sailors.^(DHLF 1992) In Latin “petra”, perhaps a sailors' word at first, displaced [[m|la|lapis]] in the general sense “stone”, Bloch and Wartburg and Rey think its success owes something to the Gospel pun on the name of Peter.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|pietra]], [[oc|peira]], [[ca|pedra]], [[es|piedra]], [[pt|pedra]] and [[ro|piatră]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Passion de Clermont'' (about 980) ''peddre'' is a building stone, a stone thrown at someone, and the stone closing Christ's tomb: ''sus en la peddre l'angel sist'' “the angel sat upon the stone”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Stone as a substance is found in the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100), which also has ''perre'' for a gem, ''pierre précieuse'' dates from the early 12th century.^(TLFi) In the 12th century it also named a calculus in the body.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Building gave ''pierre sèche'' (about 1180), ''pierre de taille'' (about 1298) and ''poser la première pierre'' (1659).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF)

+

+ Many figurative phrases followed: ''faire d'une pierre deux coups'' (1570, Montaigne), ''jeter la pierre à qqn'' “to blame” (1690), ''pierre de touche'' (1579), ''geler à pierre fendre'' (1460–66), ''pierre d'achoppement'' (1535), ''être malheureux comme les pierres'' (1791).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The alchemists' ''pierre philosophale'' is in Paré (1575), and ''âge de la pierre'' in 1861.^(TLFi) In modern French ''la pierre'' is also real estate as an investment.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 980 – ''Peddre'', ''Passion de Clermont''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – The substance; a gem, ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * First half of the 12th century – A calculus.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1298 – ''Pierre de taille''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1570 – ''Faire d'une pierre deux coups'', Montaigne.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1575 – ''Pierre philosophale'', Paré.^(TLFi)

+ * 1659 – ''Poser la première pierre''.^(BHVF)

+ * 1861 – ''Âge de la pierre''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|stone]] (the substance): ''un mur en pierre'', ''un cœur de pierre''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A stone, [[m|en|rock]], pebble: ''jeter des pierres''.^(Wiktionary)^(Larousse)

+ # A stone used in building or as a monument: ''pierre de taille'', ''pierre tombale'', ''poser la première pierre''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # A precious or semi-precious stone, [[m|en|gem]]: ''pierre précieuse''.^(Larousse)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(medicine, dated)'' A [[m|en|calculus]], stone.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Real estate as an investment: ''investir dans la pierre''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # Set phrases: ''faire d'une pierre deux coups'', to kill two birds with one stone, ''jeter la pierre à'', to blame, ''pierre de touche'', touchstone.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[perron]]

+ * [[pierraille]]

+ * [[pierreries]]

+ * [[pierreux]]

+ * [[empierrer]]

+ * [[épierrer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pétrifier]]

+ * [[pétrole]]

+ * [[salpêtre]]

+ * [[la|petra]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The given name ''Pierre'' (Peter) is from [[la|Petrus]], from [[grc|Πέτρος|tr=Pétros]], related to the common noun; the diminutives ''pierrot'' and ''pierrette'' come from the name.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}