plăcere

Forms

plăcere f (plural plăceri)^[1]

Etymology

It is the long infinitive of plăcea “to please”, used as a noun: formed from Romanian plăcea + -re.^[2][3][1] The verb continues Latin placeō (“to be pleasing”).^[3][1] The noun use of the infinitive is shared with other Romance languages: the REW lists it beside Italian piacere and French plaisir.^[4] Ciorănescu gives the Aromanian noun as well, Aromanian plãtseari.^[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tiktin's first record is in Coresi's Praxiu (Apostle) of 1563, with the sense “liking, pleasure”.^[6] MDA2 cites Coresi's Carte de învățătură of 1581.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The word names both the feeling and what causes it.^[7][2] Older uses keep the sense “will, liking”: pe plăcere “at will”, as in Pann's alege singur pe plăcere “choose as you like”.^[6] In the plural it means amusements and pleasures of the senses.^[2][7] Polite formulas grew from it: fă-mi plăcerea “do me the favour”, and cu plăcere, both “gladly” and the reply to thanks.^[7][2] The negative neplăcere “displeasure, annoyance” is formed on the same verb.^[6][3]

Timeline

• 1563 – first record, in Coresi's Praxiu.^[6]
• 1581 – in Coresi's Carte de învățătură.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. pleasure: the feeling of satisfaction or joy that comes from something one likes.^[7][2][1]
2. Something that gives pleasure; in the plural, amusements and delights: plăcerile vieții “the pleasures of life”.^[7][2]
3. Liking, will: după plăcere “as one likes”.^[6][2]

Word family

• neplăcere

Related words

• plac
• plăcut
• Aromanian plãtseari

Usage notes

Cu plăcere answers thanks, like English “you're welcome”;^[7][2] fără plăcere means “unwillingly”.^[7][2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 2, 410
3. ^ a b c d Ciorănescu, Alexandru (1958–1966), Diccionario etimológico rumano, La Laguna: Universidad de La Laguna (Romanian ed.: Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române, București: Saeculum, 2001), p. s.v. plăcea
4. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. 6557
5. ^ Cunia, Tiberius (2008), Dictsiunar a limbãljei armãneascã, Editsii Timpurarã (after T. Papahagi, Ș. Mihăileanu and I. Dalametra; online at dixionline.net), p. 837
6. ^ a b c d e Tiktin, Hariton (2000–2005), Rumänisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., revised by Paul Miron and Elsa Lüder, 3 vols., Cluj-Napoca: Clusium, p. s.v. plăcere
7. ^ a b c d e f g DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 829