cerveau French · revision 17517

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland|origins=la cerebrum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /sɛʁ.vo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cerveau''' ''m'' (plural cerveaux)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|cervel]], with the forms ''cerveaus'', ''cerviaus'';^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873) ''cerveau'' from the 14th century.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|cervel]], [[inh|la|cerebellum|t=small brain]], a diminutive of [[m|la|cerebrum|t=brain]] (see [[cérébral]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|2, 601b) The Latin neuter plural, taken for a feminine singular, gave [[cervelle]];^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Old French hardly distinguished them.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Wiktionary traces the Latin word to the root [[ine-pro|*ḱerh₂-|t=head]];^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992) Rey compares [[sa|शिरस्|tr=śiras|t=head]], [[goh|hirni|t=brain]] and [[grc|κάρα|tr=kára|t=head]].^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|cervello]], [[ca|cervell]] and [[oc|cervel]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) ''cervel'' is the brain as matter: a blow ''li a le cervel espandut'', spilled his brains.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Chrétien de Troyes (about 1175) it is the organ of thought, intelligence and judgement.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Un cerveau'' for a very intelligent person is found in 1586 (''grans cerveaux''), and Malherbe (1630) uses it for a person considered for their mind.^(BHVF)^(TLFi) In anatomy the word followed the progress of knowledge from Galen and Vesalius to the modern neurosciences;^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) Paré (16th century) already distinguished the front brain from the ''cerebelle'' behind.^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Chênedollé (1808) calls metaphysics ''le cerveau de toutes les sciences'', and it came to mean the mastermind of a plan (''le cerveau de l'opération'').^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Cerveau électronique'' (1954) was for a time a fashionable name for the computer.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 1175 – The organ of thought, in Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * 1586 – ''Grans cerveaux'', very intelligent people.^(BHVF)

+ * 1611 – The derivative ''cervelet''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1808 – “Directing centre”, in Chênedollé.^(TLFi)

+ * 1954 – ''Cerveau électronique''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|brain]]: the mass of nerve tissue in the skull; in anatomy, the front and upper part of the [[encéphale|alt=encephalon]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ # The brain as the seat of thought; the mind: ''avoir le cerveau fêlé'', to be a bit mad.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A highly intelligent person: ''la fuite des cerveaux'', the [[m|en|brain drain]].^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # The person who plans and directs an operation; the directing centre of an organization.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Rhume de cerveau'': a head cold, ''lavage de cerveau'', brainwashing.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cervelet]]

+ * [[décerveler]]

+ * [[écervelé]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cervelle]]

+ * [[cérébral]]

+ * [[crâne]]

+ * [[la|cerebrum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}