contenir French · revision 17603

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis|origins=la teneō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔ̃t.niʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''contenir'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The TLFi and Rey treat it as [[bor|la|contineō|t=to hold together; to contain; to restrain]], formed from [[m|la|com-]] and [[m|la|teneō|t=to hold]], conjugated like [[tenir]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Bloch and Wartburg see it as the popular Latin word, which followed the development of that verb.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Cognate with [[pro|contener]], [[es|contener]] and [[it|contenere]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (about 1050) uses the reflexive for “to behave”; the ''Chanson de Roland'' has ''se cuntienent plus quei'', “they keep quieter”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The reflexive sense “to behave” was medieval only, but survives in [[contenance]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Se contenir'' narrowed to “to restrain oneself” (1080), as in ''avoir du mal à se contenir'' (1548).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) The sense “to hold within” is found in the 12th and 13th centuries, of things and of the content of documents (''contenut'', 1343), and Palsgrave in 1530 has ''ce pot contient huict choppines'' for capacity.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) From 1473 it meant “to prevent”, and Robert Estienne in 1538 has ''contenir les citoyens en leur debvoir'', to keep within bounds.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''Se contenir'' “to behave”, in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – “To contain”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1343 – The noun ''contenut''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1473 – “To prevent”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1530 – Of capacity, in Palsgrave.^(TLFi)

+ * 1538 – “To keep in check”, in Estienne.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|contain|alt=contain]], have within it: ''boisson qui contient de l'alcool'', ''une enveloppe contenant des photos''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # To have a capacity of, hold: ''la salle peut contenir deux mille spectateurs''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # To be made up of: ''ce dictionnaire contient plus de quarante mille articles''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+ # To hold back, keep in check: ''contenir la foule''.^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''Se contenir'': to [[m|en|restrain|alt=restrain]] oneself.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contenant]]

+ * [[contenu]]

+ * [[conteneur]]

+ * [[contenance]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[content]]

+ * [[tenir]]

+ * [[continent]]

+ * [[la|contineō]]

+ * [[en|contain]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}