or French · revision 17331

+ {{homograph|1|gold}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 881, Sequence of Saint Eulalia|origins=ine-pro *h₂é-h₂us-o-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɔʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''or''' ''m'' (plural ors)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Gold is [[inh|la|aurum|t=gold; gold object; gold coin; wealth]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|25, 1019b) The /r/ of the Latin word comes from an older /s/, as shown by Sabine “ausom”, [[prg|ausis]] and [[lt|auksas]], Wiktionary traces it through [[itc-pro|*auzom]] to [[ine-pro|*h₂é-h₂us-o-|t=glow]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) Another Indo-European name of gold, from a root meaning “yellow”, gave [[got|𐌲𐌿𐌻𐌸|tr=gulþ]] and [[en|gold]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|aur]], [[oc|aur]], [[it|oro]], [[ca|or]], [[es|oro]] and [[pt|ouro]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935) In popular use it is often feminine because of its initial vowel.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Sequence of Saint Eulalia'' (about 881) has it as a symbol of wealth: ''Ne por or ned argent ne paramenz'' (“neither for gold nor for silver nor for finery”).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The ''Chanson de Roland'' already has ''pur tut l'or Deu'' “for all the gold in the world”, as well as golden bridles and crowns and Arabian gold.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1200 Guiot de Provins has the proverb ''N'est pas tout ors qu'en voit relure'' (“all that glitters is not gold”).^(TLFi) It names the colour in heraldry about 1273 and the colour of hair in Ronsard (1578).^(TLFi)

+

+ Phrases followed: ''valoir son pesant d'or'' (13th century), ''c'est de l'or en barre'' “a sure value” (1650), ''faire un pont d'or à quelqu'un'' (1660) and ''rouler sur l'or'' (1798).^(DHLF 1992) ''Dire d'or'' “to speak well” is found in 1565, ''or blanc'' in 1562 and ''or potable'', the alchemists' drinkable gold, in the 1560s.^(BHVF)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 881 – In the ''Sequence of Saint Eulalia''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – ''Pur tut l'or Deu'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1200 – ''N'est pas tout ors qu'en voit relure''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1273 – The heraldic tincture.^(TLFi)

+ * 1562 – ''Or blanc''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1650 – ''De l'or en barre''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1798 – ''Rouler sur l'or''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|gold]], the precious metal: ''une mine d'or'', ''la ruée vers l'or''.^(Larousse)^(Le Robert)

+ # A gold alloy: ''or blanc'', ''or jaune''.^(Larousse)

+ # Gold coin, money; wealth: ''payer en or'', ''pour tout l'or du monde''.^(Larousse)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(heraldry)'' The tincture [[m|en|or]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''En or'': excellent, precious: ''une affaire en or''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Or noir'': oil.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # (invariable) Gold-coloured.^(Le Robert)

+

+ {{homograph|2|now, yet}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=938–950, Jonah fragment (ore)|origins=la hōra}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɔʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''or'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|ore]], ''or'' (1080) and the archaizing ''ores'' (1176), with the adverbial ⟨s⟩.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The conjunction is [[inh|fro|ore]], [[inh|la-lat|hā hōrā]], an alteration of [[la|hāc hōrā|t=at this hour]], probably under the influence of “illā hōrā” “at that hour”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|4, 471b) The final “-e” dropped because the word was unstressed.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The classical form survives in Old Spanish “agora”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Compare [[it|ora]], [[es|ahora]] and [[pt|agora]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As ''ore'' it is found in the Jonah fragment of Valenciennes (938–950), meaning “now”: ''Si astreient li Judei perdut, si cum il ore sunt'' (“so the Jews would be lost, as they now are”).^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adverb “now, at present” was common until the 17th century, when Malherbe criticized it, ''or… or'' “now… now” (1155) went the same way.^(DHLF 1992) Old French used it in exclamations (''or ne vous esmaiez'', “now do not be dismayed”, in the ''Chanson de Roland'') and in phrases such as ''or çà'' and ''or sus'', and ''or que'' meant “now that” (1150).^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) ''D'ores et déjà'' “already, from now on” (1615) is probably of legal origin and is much used today.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The modern conjunction grew out of its use in linking sentences: “so, then” (1176–1181), and, from 1580 the introduction of a new element in a story or an argument, as in the minor premise of a syllogism, ''or donc'' is recorded in 1611.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 938–950 – ''Ore'' “now” in the Jonah fragment.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+ * 1080 – The form ''or''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1155 – ''Or… or'' “now… now”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1176 – ''Ores''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1580 – Introducing a new step in an argument.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1615 – ''D'ores et déjà''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # Now, but (introducing a new element in a story): ''or, un soir, son mari rentra''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # Yet, however (introducing the minor premise of a syllogism, or an objection): ''or vous n'avez rien prouvé''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''Or donc'': so then, to come to the point.^(Larousse)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(archaic)'' Now, at present.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''D'ores et déjà'': already, from now on.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[aurifère]]

+ * [[dorer]]

+ * [[orfèvre]]

+ * [[heure]]

+ * [[désormais]]

+ * [[dorénavant]]

+ * [[la|aurum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}