propre French · revision 17359

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1130, Lois de Guillaume|origins=la proprius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pʁɔpʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''propre''' (plural propres)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|proprius|t=one's own, not shared; special; appropriate]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|9, 457a)^(Wiktionary) “Proprius” was probably formed from the phrase “prō prīvō” “as a private matter”, from [[m|la|prō]] and the ablative of [[m|la|prīvus|t=single, private]].^(DHLF 1992) Littré related it instead to [[m|la|prope|t=near]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Compare [[oc|propri]], [[es|propio]] and [[it|proprio]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in 1130 in the ''Lois de Guillaume'' (''en soun propre chastel''), meaning “belonging to someone”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Propre nuns'' “proper name” is in Wace (1155), and ''nom propre'' in 1549.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1265 it meant “fitting, apt”, of words, and the ''sens propre'' of a word is opposed to the figurative.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) “Able to, fit for” is from 1370, and ''propre à'', ''propre pour'' from about 1485, ''propre à tout, propre à rien'' is from 1798 and ''propre-à-rien'' from 1844.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The sense “neat, tidy” appears occasionally from about 1280, but “clean” as opposed to dirty dates from the middle of the 17th century (''propre comme une escuelle à chat'', 1640).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Placed before the noun it stresses ownership: ''de ses propres mains''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992) The noun ''le propre'', an own property (1213), survives in ''en propre''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Derivatives include [[propreté]] (1539), [[propret]] and [[malpropre]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1130 – “One's own”, in the ''Lois de Guillaume''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1155 – ''Propre nuns'' in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1265 – “Fitting”, in Brunetto Latini.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1280 – “Neat, trim”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1539 – ''Propreté''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1549 – ''Nom propre''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1640 – “Clean”, in Oudin.^(TLFi)

+ * 1844 – ''Propre-à-rien''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(before the noun)'' [[m|en|own]]: ''ma propre voiture'', ''de ses propres yeux''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(after the noun)'' [[m|en|clean]]: ''des mains propres''.^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ # ''(of a child)'' Toilet-trained, ''(of a pet)'' house-trained.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Propre à'': peculiar to, [[m|en|characteristic]] of; suited to.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(of a word)'' Literal, [[m|en|proper]]: ''le sens propre'', ''nom propre''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' Eigen-: ''valeur propre'' “eigenvalue”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''Le propre de'': the characteristic feature of, ''en propre'': as one's own.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Au propre'': in the literal sense, ''mettre au propre'': to make a fair copy.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[proprement]]

+ * [[propreté]]

+ * [[propret]]

+ * [[malpropre]]

+ * [[propre-à-rien]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[approprier]]

+ * [[exproprier]]

+ * [[propriété]]

+ * [[la|proprius]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}