argent French · revision 17466

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=881, Séquence de sainte Eulalie|origins=la argentum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /aʁ.ʒɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''argent''' ''m'' (plural argents)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|argent]], [[inh|la|argentum|t=silver; money]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|25, 192a)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word is related to a stem meaning “brightness, whiteness” seen in [[m|la|arguō]], originally “to make bright”, then “to show, prove”: silver is “the shining one”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) The same name is found in [[grc|ἄργυρος|tr=árguros]], Celtic (Gaulish “arganto-”) and Oscan, Ernout and Meillet thought it a borrowed word replacing an Indo-European name.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Cognate with [[ro|argint]], [[it|argento]], [[oc|argent]] and [[ca|argent]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in 881 in the ''Séquence de sainte Eulalie'': ''Ne por or, ned argent, ne paramenz'' “neither for gold nor silver nor finery”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By 1080 it meant silver coin, and, from the 12th century any metal coin, Latin ''argentum'' already meant money in Plautus.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Bloch and Wartburg note that this sense survives in Romance only in France.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Rey explains that ''argent'' rather than ''or'' became the word for money because silver coinage was the most common.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Phrases followed: ''faire argent de tout'' (1561), ''prendre pour argent comptant'' (1587), ''être cousu d'argent'' (1675), ''en avoir pour son argent'' (1811).^(DHLF 1992) ''Point d'argent, point de Suisse'' is recorded in 1640, ''l'argent n'a pas d'odeur'' in 1811.^(BHVF) In heraldry ''argent'' is the tincture white (12th century), and the adjective ''argent'' “silvery” dates from 1751.^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF) Few French words have as many slang synonyms.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 881 – ''Argent'' in the ''Séquence de sainte Eulalie''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1100 – Silver coin, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+ * 12th century – The heraldic tincture.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 13th century – ''Vif-argent'', quicksilver.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1286 – ''Argenterie''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1587 – ''Prendre pour argent comptant''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1640 – ''Point d'argent, point de Suisse''.^(BHVF)

+ * 1811 – ''L'argent n'a pas d'odeur''.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|silver]], the precious metal (Ag): ''une bague en argent''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # [[m|en|money]]: coins and notes; wealth: ''gagner de l'argent'', ''argent de poche''.^(Larousse)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(heraldry)'' [[m|en|argent]], the colour white or silver.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Silvery in colour: ''gris argent''.^(BHVF)^(Le Robert)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[argenter]]

+ * [[désargenter]]

+ * [[argenterie]]

+ * [[argentin]]

+ * [[argentifère]]

+ * [[vif-argent]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[argenté]]

+ * [[argentier]]

+ * [[Argentine]]

+ * [[la|argentum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}