figurer French · revision 38654

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 12th century, Albéric de Pisançon|origins=la figūra}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /fi.ɡy.ʁe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''figurer'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|figūrō|t=to form, shape; to picture, imagine; to adorn with figures of speech]], from [[m|la|figūra|t=shape, form]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|3, 513a) Wiktionary compares the reflexive use with [[it|figurarsi]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Compare [[oc|figurar]] and [[es|figurar]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in the first third of the 12th century, in Albéric de Pisançon's ''Alexandre'': ''beyn figurad'' “well made”, from the sense “to give shape to, fashion”.^(TLFi) The Grand Robert dates the verb to the 11th century, and the Petit Robert glosses its first sense as “to create”.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “to shape, give form to” lasted until the 17th century.^(DHLF 1992) The verb meant “to represent in visible form” by drawing or sculpture from about 1260,^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) and “to symbolize” from 1258;^(TLFi) the participle ''figuré'' “expressed in figures, allegorical” appears about 1200, and ''langage figuré'' in Amyot (1572).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) To represent something to the imagination (about 1360, Froissart) has died out, but the reflexive ''se figurer'' “to picture to oneself” (1572, Amyot) and “to believe wrongly” (Corneille, 1650–1651) is still in use, as is ''figurez-vous'' (1690).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+

+ Used intransitively, the verb meant “to cut a figure, play a part” beside someone great (1694, La Bruyère); today it means the opposite, “to play a minor part” (1865), as does the derivative [[figurant]] (1756, opera).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) ''Figurer sur une liste'' “to appear on a list” dates from 1827.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 12th century – ''Beyn figurad'' “well made”, in Albéric de Pisançon.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1200 – ''Figuré'' “allegorical”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1258 – “To symbolize”.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1260 – “To represent by an image”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1572 – ''Se figurer'' “to picture to oneself”, and ''langage figuré'', in Amyot.^(TLFi)

+ * 1650–1651 – ''Se figurer'' “to believe wrongly”, in Corneille.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ * 1694 – Intransitive “to cut a figure”, in La Bruyère.^(TLFi)

+ * 1756 – ''Figurant'', in the ''Encyclopédie''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1827 – ''Figurer sur une liste''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|represent]] in a visible form, by drawing, painting or sculpture; to show in a simplified or conventional way: ''figurer une rivière par un trait bleu''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # To [[m|en|symbolize]], stand for: ''la colombe figure la paix''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To [[m|en|appear]], be found (in a list, a document, a group): ''son nom ne figure pas dans l'annuaire''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(intransitive, theatre)'' To play a minor part, to be an [[m|en|extra]].^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # ''Se figurer'': to [[m|en|imagine]], picture to oneself; to believe, wrongly: ''il se figure qu'on l'admire''.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''Figure-toi'', ''figurez-vous'': just imagine.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' To give a shape or form to.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[figurant]]

+ * [[figuré]]

+ * [[figurable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[figure]]

+ * [[figuration]]

+ * [[figuratif]]

+ * [[la|figūrō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}