gros French · revision 17457

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la-lat grossus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɡʁo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gros''' (feminine grosse, masculine plural gros, feminine plural grosses)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|gros]], [[inh|la-lat|grossus|t=thick, coarse]], a popular word of imperial and Christian Latin, also “rough, coarse”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|4, 274a)^(Wiktionary) Bloch and Wartburg note that it replaced [[m|la|crassus|t=thick]], which had itself displaced [[m|la|pinguis|t=fat]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) Rey and the Grand Robert see “grossus” as an altered form of “crassus”, whose source [[gras]] it parallels, the vowel “o” better suggesting bulk, Etymonline reports that the link is denied by others and calls the word of obscure origin.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Etymonline)

+

+ Littré thought the Berry forms “grôt”, “groût” came from Germanic, comparing [[de|groß]].^(Littré 1873) Cognate with [[it|grosso]], [[es|grueso]] and [[pt|grosso]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ About 1100 the ''Chanson de Roland'' uses it of size: ''La hanste en fu grosse come uns tinel'' “its shaft was as thick as a club”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The feminine ''grosse'' meant “pregnant” by 1130–40, whence [[grossesse]]; the eyes are ''gros'' with weeping in the late 12th century, and ''avoir le cœur gros'' dates from about 1165.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1150 it meant “coarse, rude”: ''gros moz'', rude words.^(TLFi) From about 1210 it meant important through rank or wealth (''gros roi''), whence ''grosse besogne'' (1306), ''le gros lot'' (1690), ''gros bonnet'' (late 17th century) and ''grosse légume'' (1832).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ As an intensifier it strengthens a noun: ''une grosse bête'' (1661–79); ''mon gros'' as an endearment dates from 1808.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Gros temps'' “stormy weather” is from the mid-13th century, ''faire le gros dos'' from 1718, ''les gros yeux'' from before 1784.^(TLFi) ''En gros'' “wholesale” goes back to the 13th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) English ''gross'' was borrowed in the 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Gros'' in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1130–1140 – ''Grosse'' “pregnant” in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1150 – ''Gros moz'', rude words.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1165 – ''Le cuer gros''.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – ''Vendre en gros''.^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1283 – ''Grossesse''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1690 – ''Le gros lot''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1832 – ''Grosse légume''.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Big, large, bulky: ''un gros nuage'', ''une grosse valise''.^(Le Robert)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|fat]], stout: ''un gros homme''.^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+ # Thick, coarse: ''du gros sel'', ''gros drap''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # Important, considerable: ''un gros client'', ''une grosse somme'', ''le gros lot''.^(TLFi)^(Le Robert)

+ # Intense, strong: ''une grosse fièvre'', ''grosse voix''.^(TLFi)

+ # Coarse, crude: ''un gros mot'', a swearword.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(familiar, derogatory)'' Of a woman, [[m|en|pregnant]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # A lot: ''gagner gros'', ''risquer gros'', ''en avoir gros sur le cœur''.^(Larousse)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A fat person, ''(familiar)'' ''mon gros'', a term of affection.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''Le gros de'': the bulk, the main part.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(commerce)'' Wholesale: ''le commerce de gros'', ''en gros''.^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[engrosser]]

+ * [[grossement]]

+ * [[grosseur]]

+ * [[grossièrement]]

+ * [[grossièreté]]

+ * [[grossier]]

+ * [[dégrossir]]

+ * [[grossissement]]

+ * [[grossir]]

+ * [[grossophobie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gras]]

+ * [[grossesse]]

+ * [[en|gross]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}