mec French · revision 17361

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=1821 (mecque “chief”)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɛk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mec''' ''m'' (plural mecs)^(Wiktionary)

+ Early slang forms ''mecque'' (1821), ''mec'' (1827), ''mèque'', ''meck'' and ''meg''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a slang word of obscure origin.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) Pierre Guiraud saw in it the conjunction “mais que”, used as a noun in some dialects (Quercy “mesque” “motive”): a Monsieur Mecque, “Mr Important”, would have been formed like Mademoiselle J’Ordonne or Monsieur Veto.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Rey finds this ingenious and more likely than a derivation from Greek “mega” “great” or from an Egyptian Arabic “mek” “sultan”.^(DHLF 1992) The sense “pimp” (1870) may be connected with the slang “mac”, short for [[maquereau]], from which Wiktionary derives the word.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) It may also be behind [[mégot]].^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found as ''mecque'' “chief” in 1821 (Ansiaume); in 1827 ''mec'' means “God”, and Balzac reports ''le meg des megs''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ At first it meant a forceful man who acted as leader, used admiringly (''quel mec !''), and in 1882 a strong, tough fellow.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) By 1848 it had weakened to “any individual”, and in 1870 it also meant a pimp.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Today it is a familiar equivalent of ''type'', “guy, bloke”, and also “boyfriend”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) The diminutive [[mecton]] dates from 1888, and the verlan ''keum'' from 1982.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1821 – ''Mecque'' “chief”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1827 – ''Mec'' “God”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1848 – “Any individual”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1870 – “Pimp”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1882 – “A tough fellow”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1888 – ''Mecton''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1982 – The verlan ''keum''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(familiar)'' A guy, [[m|en|bloke]], fellow.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A boyfriend, husband: ''son mec''.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Man, mate (in address).^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete slang)'' A [[m|en|pimp]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mecton]]

+ * [[keum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}