cœur French · revision 17444

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis|origins=ine-pro *ḱerd-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kœʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Canada): /kœʁ/^(Wiktionary)

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cœur''' ''m'' (plural cœurs)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|quor]] (about 1050), [[m|fro|quer]] (1080), [[m|fro|cuer]] and [[m|fro|coer]], with the subject case ''cuers'', ''cœur'' is recorded in 1508.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|cuer]], [[inh|la|cor|t=heart]], declined in popular Latin as “*coris” instead of classical “cordis”, Wiktionary gives the accusative [[m|la-vul|*corem]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|2, 1170a)^(Wiktionary) Like [[grc|καρδία|tr=kardía]], the Latin word belongs to an Indo-European root [[ine-pro|*ḱerd-]], also found in [[de|Herz]] and [[en|heart]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ For the Romans, as in Greek medicine and anatomy, the heart was the seat of feelings, thought, courage, intelligence and memory, the place the liver took in other cultures; hence “par cœur” “by heart” (about 1200).^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Greek medicine called the entrance of the stomach “kardía”, a name translated by Latin “cor”, which explains “avoir mal au cœur” “to feel sick” and [[écœurer]] (1642).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|cuore]], [[oc|cor]], [[ca|cor]] and [[ro|cord]]; [[es|corazón]] and [[pt|coração]] are derivatives.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found about 1050 in the ''Vie de saint Alexis'', both as the seat of life, ''Ço'st granz merveile que li mens quors tant duret'' “it is a great wonder that my heart lasts so long”, and as the seat of feeling.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The organ itself is named in the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100), which also uses the word for the chest and for a tender heart (''tro avez tendre coer'').^(TLFi) By extension it meant the stomach (about 1200), whence ''avoir mal au cœur'', ''dire tout ce qu'on a sur le cœur'' (1508) and the old card-game pun ''coucher du cœur sur le carreau'' “to vomit” (1633).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ From the late 12th century it named the central part of something (''el cuer de France''); by likeness of shape, a heart-shaped object (1340), the suit of hearts at cards (1585) and a kind of cherry (1600).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The heart as the seat of love, courage and memory gave many phrases: ''par cœur'' (about 1200), ''mon cœur'' for a beloved person (1167–1170), ''joli cœur'' (1863) and ''bourreau des cœurs''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Old French ''cuer'' with a suffix gave [[courage]] (about 1080).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''Quors'' in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1100 – The bodily organ, and the chest, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1167–1170 – ''Cœur'' of a beloved person.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

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

+ * Late 12th century – The centre of something: ''el cuer de France''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1508 – ''Dire tout ce qu'on a sur le cœur''; the spelling ''cœur''.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1585 – The suit of hearts.^(TLFi)

+ * 1642 – ''Écœurer''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1863 – ''Joli cœur''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|heart]], the organ that pumps the blood.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The chest, the breast: ''serrer quelqu'un sur son cœur''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # The stomach: ''avoir mal au cœur'', ''avoir le cœur au bord des lèvres''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # The seat of feelings and of [[m|en|love]]; kindness: ''avoir bon cœur'', ''mon cœur'', a term of endearment.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|courage]], spirit: ''avoir du cœur'', ''donner du cœur à l'ouvrage''.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ # ''Par cœur'': from memory.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ # The centre or [[m|en|core]] of something: ''le cœur de la ville'', ''le cœur d'un réacteur''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A heart shape, ''(cards)'' hearts.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contrecœur]]

+ * [[haut-le-cœur]]

+ * [[courage]]

+ * [[encourager]]

+ * [[écœurer]]

+ * [[crève-cœur]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cardiaque]]

+ * [[-cardie]]

+ * [[cardio-]]

+ * [[cordial]]

+ * [[cordiforme]]

+ * [[accorder]]

+ * [[miséricorde]]

+ * [[la|cor]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The word [[rancœur]] does not belong to this family.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}