peace English · revision 2635

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1140, Peterborough Chronicle|origins=la pāx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /piːs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|pais]], later pes,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|xno|pes]], Old French pais (modern French paix),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|pāx|t=compact, agreement, treaty of peace, absence of war]] (stem pāc-),^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988) related to [[m|la|pacīscī|t=to covenant, agree]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*pag-|t=to fasten]], perhaps from the idea of binding together by treaty.^(Etymonline) It replaced Old English frið and sibb.^(Etymonline) The spelling peace, recorded from 1358, became established only in the 16th century, as the vowel shifted.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Freedom from civil disorder, the internal peace of a nation: probably before 1140, in the ''Peterborough Chronicle'',^(Barnhart 1988) or the mid-12th century.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Silence, quiet” is from about 1250,^(Barnhart 1988) and friendly relations between people from the mid-13th century.^(Etymonline) The absence of war between nations is recorded from 1297,^(OED 1989) and a treaty of peace from about 1400.^(OED 1989) Spiritual peace of mind comes from Biblical use, as in the greeting ''peace be with you''.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The verb, “be silent!”, from about 1386, was probably first an interjection.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989) ''No peace for the wicked'' is from Isaiah 48:22.^(Cresswell 2021) The ''peace pipe'' is recorded by 1760.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1140 – civil order.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1250 – silence, quiet.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1297 – the absence of war.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1358 – the spelling peace.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1386 – verb, be silent.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – a peace treaty.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1760 – ''peace pipe''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The absence of [[war]] or fighting.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A [[treaty]] or agreement that ends a war.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Freedom from quarrels; [[harmony]] between people.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Public order and security: ''keep the peace''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Calm of mind; [[serenity]]; quiet.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Used as a greeting or farewell, or to ask for silence.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[peaceless]]

+ * [[peacelessness]]

+ * [[peacelike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pacific]]

+ * [[pacify]]

+ * [[pacification]]

+ * [[pacifism]]

+ * [[pacifist]]

+ * [[pact]]

+ * [[pay]]

+ * [[appease]]

+ * [[peaceable]]

+ * [[peaceful]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}