vêtir French · revision 38663

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 950, Jonas fragment|origins=la vestis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /vɛ.tiʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+ * /ve.tiʁ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vêtir'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|vestir]], a spelling still found in the 18th century;^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989) Monet records ''vêtir'' in 1636.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|vestir]], [[inh|la|vestiō|t=to clothe; to cover, adorn]], from [[m|la|vestis|t=garment, clothing]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|14, 351b) The Petit Robert relates the Latin noun to the root of [[m|la|induō|t=to put on]] and [[m|la|exuō|t=to take off]], and to [[en|wear]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|vestire]], [[oc|vestir]], [[ca|vestir]], [[es|vestir]] and [[pt|vestir]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found about 950 in the Jonas fragment of Valenciennes, meaning “to put on (a garment)”: ''vestirent haires'', “they put on hair shirts”.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873) At the end of the 10th century the ''Passion'' of Clermont uses it for clothing someone: ''de purpure donc lo vestirent'', “then they clothed him in purple”.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The reflexive ''se vêtir'' appears about 1145 in Wace, and is now the more usual use of the verb, though [[habiller]] is more common.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) About 1210 it also took the sense “to provide (someone) with clothes”, still alive in ''vêtir ceux qui sont nus''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Old and classical French had many senses that later passed to [[revêtir]].^(DHLF 1992) In the ''Chanson de Roland'' it means “to put (someone) in possession (of a fief)”, a feudal use still found in the 18th century, and ''être vêtu d'une charge'' was to hold an office (1690).^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) It also meant to take on a role (about 1265, still in Molière), to take the religious habit (about 1340) and to adorn (1373).^(DHLF 1992) In 1680 it was used of fitting sails to the arms of a windmill.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 950 – “To put on”, in the Jonas fragment.^(TLFi)

+ * Late 10th century – “To clothe”, in the Clermont ''Passion''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1080 – The feudal sense “to invest with”, in the ''Chanson de Roland''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1145 – ''Se vestir'', in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1210 – “To provide with clothes”, in Guillaume le Clerc.^(TLFi)

+ * 1636 – Monet records the spelling ''vêtir''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1680 – Used of the sails of a windmill.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(literary)'' To [[m|en|dress]], put clothes on someone: ''vêtir un nourrisson''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # To provide someone with [[m|en|clothing]]: ''vêtir les pauvres''.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(literary)'' To put on a garment.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Se vêtir'': to get dressed: ''se vêtir chaudement''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vêtement]]

+ * [[vêture]]

+ * [[dévêtir]]

+ * [[revêtir]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[veste]]

+ * [[vestiaire]]

+ * [[investir]]

+ * [[travestir]]

+ * [[la|vestis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The past participle [[vêtu]] is used as an adjective, as in ''court vêtu'' “in short clothes”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}