invisible French · revision 38687

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1256, Aldebrandin de Sienne|origins=la videō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɛ̃.vi.zibl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''invisible''' (plural invisibles)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|invīsibilis|t=that cannot be seen]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|4, 801b) The Latin adjective is formed with the negative prefix [[m|la|in-]] on [[m|la|vīsibilis|t=visible]], from [[m|la|vīsum]], the supine of [[m|la|videō|t=to see]].^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005) The positive [[visible]] had come into French earlier, about 1190.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Cognate with [[pro|invisible]], [[es|invisible]] and [[it|invisibile]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in 1256 in Aldebrandin de Sienne's ''Régime du corps'', meaning “that escapes sight”;^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) a manuscript of the ''Roman de Kanor'', of the 13th century, has the same sense.^(TLFi) Littré quotes Aldebrandin: ''d'autres coses ki nous sont invisibles'' “other things that are invisible to us”.^(Littré 1873) The Anglo-Norman Dictionary has the word from 1267.^(AND)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the start the adjective was used both of what cannot be seen by nature and, figuratively, of what lies beyond human knowledge.^(DHLF 1992) Of a person, it meant one who keeps out of sight (1606 in the Dictionnaire historique, 1668 in Racine's ''Plaideurs'' for the TLFi), and especially one who will not receive visitors (1798, Académie).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) It was used as a noun, ''l'invisible'', in opposition to ''le visible'', from the mid-17th century.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The literal sense has narrowed towards “too small to be seen”, as in ''le monde invisible''.^(DHLF 1992) H. G. Wells's novel ''The Invisible Man'' made the figure of the invisible man widely known.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) The adverb [[invisiblement]] is literary.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1256 – Aldebrandin de Sienne uses it for what escapes sight.^(TLFi)

+ * 1267 – Earliest Anglo-Norman record.^(AND)

+ * Early 14th century – The adverb ''invisiblement''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1560 – The noun ''invisibilité''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1668 – Racine uses it of a person who keeps out of sight.^(TLFi)

+ * Mid-17th century – The noun ''l'invisible''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1798 – The Académie records ''être invisible pour quelqu'un'', to refuse to receive someone.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # That cannot be seen by nature, [[m|en|invisible]]: ''un esprit invisible'', ''invisible à l'œil nu''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # Hardly seen, barely noticeable: ''une couture invisible''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(of a person)'' Who keeps out of sight or cannot be met; who will not receive visitors: ''notre voisin est invisible depuis un mois''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Beyond the senses; [[m|en|supernatural]]: ''des forces invisibles''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''L'invisible'': what cannot be seen, as opposed to the visible world.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(commerce, plural)'' ''Les invisibles'': ''invisible'' items, such as services, in the [[m|en|balance of payments]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[invisiblement]]

+ * [[invisibilité]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[visible]]

+ * [[visibilité]]

+ * [[voir]]

+ * [[la|invīsibilis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}