nerveux French · revision 17555

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1256, Aldebrandin of Siena|origins=la nervus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /nɛʁ.vø/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nerveux''' (feminine nerveuse, masculine plural nerveux, feminine plural nerveuses)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|nervōsus|t=sinewy, muscular; vigorous]], from [[m|la|nervus|t=sinew]] (see [[nerf]]).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary) The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert describe it as a learned derivative of the French noun modelled on the Latin word.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) Its senses developed in parallel with those of the noun.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the 13th century it meant “made mainly of tendons”: Aldebrandin of Siena (1256) says that one whose neck is thick, strong and ''bien nerveux'' is quick to anger.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Following the old anatomy that did not distinguish nerves from tendons, it meant “sinewy, muscular”: Garnier (1573) has it of muscles standing out under the skin, and of a strong, vigorous person (1574).^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873) Du Bellay (1549) uses it figuratively of vigorous verse, the origin of ''style nerveux''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ With the modern notion of the nerves it came to mean “relating to the nerves” (''fibres nerveuses'', 1678) and ''système nerveux'' (1754).^(TLFi) In 1789 it was said of a person dominated by irritable nerves, and Maine de Biran (1816) speaks of a ''état nerveux''; from these come the common senses “nervous, anxious” and “excitable”.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) A car with good acceleration is called ''nerveuse''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1256 – Aldebrandin of Siena.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1549 – Of vigorous verse, in Du Bellay.^(TLFi)

+ * 1573 – Of muscles standing out, in Garnier.^(TLFi)

+ * 1678 – ''Fibres nerveuses'', in Lamy.^(TLFi)

+ * 1754 – ''Système nerveux''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1789 – Of a person with irritable nerves.^(TLFi)

+ * 1816 – ''État nerveux'', in Maine de Biran.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to the [[m|en|nerve|alt=nerves]]: ''cellule nerveuse'', ''système nerveux'', ''dépression nerveuse''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # [[m|en|nervous|alt=Nervous]], [[m|en|edgy]], easily excited or irritated.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # Sinewy, with strong, visible tendons: ''des mains nerveuses''; of meat, stringy.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Vigorous, full of energy; of a car, responsive; of a style, terse and forceful.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A nervous, excitable person.^(BHVF)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nerveusement]]

+ * [[nervosisme]]

+ * [[nervosité]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nerf]]

+ * [[nervure]]

+ * [[nervurer]]

+ * [[la|nervōsus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}