note English · revision 2627

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200 (Ancrene Riwle)|origins=la nota}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /nəʊt/, US /noʊt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|note]], [[bor|fro|note]] and directly [[bor|la|nota|t=mark, sign; letter, character; written note]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) with the verb, Middle English noten, from Old French noter and [[m|la|notāre|t=to mark, note]], from nota.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) Latin nota has traditionally been connected with nōtus, the past participle of [[m|la|nōscere|t=to come to know]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) and Barnhart takes it as an alteration of Old Latin *gnata under its influence, from [[ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-|alt=*gnō-|t=to know]], the root of [[know]];^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) but Etymonline reports that de Vaan calls this impossible and that the word is of unknown origin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb, “to take mental note of, observe carefully”: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle'',^(Barnhart 1988) or about 1200.^(Etymonline) The noun, a musical note, is probably before 1300, in ''Sir Tristrem'',^(Barnhart 1988) or about 1300, when it also meant a song, melody or bird-song.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun meant “notice, attention” from the early 14th century^(Etymonline) and “a mark or sign” from about 1380, in Chaucer's Boethius.^(Barnhart 1988) “Reputation, fame”, as in ''of note'', and a sign representing a musical tone on paper are from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) A record of the substance of something is from before 1400,^(Barnhart 1988) and a short letter from 1594, in Shakespeare's ''Richard III''.^(Barnhart 1988) A banknote is from 1696.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb “to set down in writing” is from the early 14th century,^(Etymonline) and “to mention specially” from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – verb, to observe.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1300 – a musical note.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 14th century – to write down; notice.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1380 – a mark or sign.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – reputation; a written musical sign.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1400 – a written record.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1594 – a short letter.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1696 – a banknote.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A brief written record or reminder.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A short informal letter.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # A comment or explanation added to a text, such as a [[footnote]].^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # A musical tone of definite pitch, or the written sign for it.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A [[banknote]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # Distinction or importance: ''a writer of note''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A quality or tone of feeling: ''a note of anger''.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To notice or pay attention to.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To write down.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To mention especially.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[noter]]

+ * [[notable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[notary]]

+ * [[notation]]

+ * [[notice]]

+ * [[notion]]

+ * [[notorious]]

+ * [[denote]]

+ * [[connote]]

+ * [[annotate]]

+ * [[know]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ An unrelated Old English notu, “use, profit; employment”, related to [[neat]] “cattle”, survived as ''note'' in dialect.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) An obsolete ''note'', “could not”, a misuse of ''noted'', was used in the 16th and 17th centuries.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}