œuf French · revision 17541

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1120–1134, Philippe de Thaon, Bestiaire|origins=la ōvum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /œf/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''œuf''' ''m'' (plural œufs)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|of]] (plural ''os''), [[m|fro|oef]], ''uef'', ''euf'';^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989) ''œuf'' from the 14th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+ Also written ''oeuf''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|oef]], [[inh|la-vul|*ŏvum]], from classical [[la|ōvum|t=egg]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|7, 447a) Bloch and Wartburg explain that the Latin word lost its /v/, the /o/ being opened by dissimilation, and was then remade with /v/ on the plural.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(TLFi) The Latin word, like [[grc|ᾠόν|tr=ōión]], seems to be an Indo-European derivative of the word for “bird” that gave [[m|la|avis]] (see [[oiseau]]); the Petit Robert relates it, perhaps, to [[en|egg]] and [[de|Ei]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|uovo]], [[es|huevo]], [[pt|ovo]], [[ca|ou]] and [[oc|uòu]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Philippe de Thaon's ''Bestiaire'' (1120–1134) uses it for the egg laid by female birds: ''ses os pundra'', she will lay her eggs.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 13th century it was the hen's egg as food (''Aucassin et Nicolette''), and Joinville has ''oefs durs'' about 1306.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The ''eufs de Pasques'' of 1399 were eggs that children went from door to door to ask for at Easter; the custom later became decorated eggs and chocolate ones.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1375 the word was extended to the eggs of fish, reptiles and insects, and Furetière (1690) to the “egg” of mammals.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Many phrases date from the 16th and 17th centuries: ''tondre sur un œuf'' “to be a skinflint” (Marot, 1526), ''plein comme un œuf'' (1640), ''ne pas mettre tous ses œufs dans un panier'' (1680) and ''marcher sur des œufs'' (1690).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Hugo has ''écraser dans l'œuf'' (1830), and ''l'œuf de Colomb'', a solution obvious once found, is from about 1842.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Va te faire cuire un œuf'' is recorded in 1954, and the skier's tuck, ''la position en œuf'', in 1961.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1120–1134 – ''Of'', in Philippe de Thaon.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – A hen's egg as food.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1306 – ''Oefs durs'', in Joinville.^(TLFi)

+ * 1399 – ''Eufs de Pasques''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1526 – ''Tondre sur un œuf'', in Marot.^(TLFi)

+ * 1680 – ''Ne pas mettre tous ses œufs dans un panier''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – ''Marcher sur des œufs'', in Furetière.^(TLFi)

+ * 1830 – ''Écraser dans l'œuf'', in Hugo.^(TLFi)

+ * 1961 – The skier's ''position en œuf''.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|egg]], laid by birds, reptiles, fish or insects: ''œuf de poule'', ''œuf d'autruche''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ # A hen's egg as food: ''œuf à la coque'', ''œuf dur'', ''œuf sur le plat'', ''œufs brouillés''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(biology)'' An egg cell, a fertilized [[m|en|ovum]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Œuf de Pâques'': an [[m|en|Easter egg]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Dans l'œuf'': at the very beginning: ''tuer dans l'œuf'', to nip in the bud.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Marcher sur des œufs'': to tread carefully, ''plein comme un œuf'', full to bursting.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(skiing)'' A [[m|en|tuck]] position; an egg-shaped gondola lift.^(BHVF)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A fool: ''quel œuf !''^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[œuvé]]

+ * [[œufrier]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ovaire]]

+ * [[ovipare]]

+ * [[ovale]]

+ * [[oiseau]]

+ * [[la|ōvum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}