description Émile Littré Overview
Émile Littré was a prominent French lexicographer best known for his comprehensive Dictionnaire de la langue française. Published by Hachette between 1863 and 1872, this dictionary significantly shaped the standard form of the French language. It remains a historically important resource for scholars, linguists, and anyone studying the evolution of French vocabulary.
help Émile Littré FAQ
What made Littré's Dictionnaire de la langue française unusual?
Littré documented meanings through historical quotations and traced how French words changed over time. The original work appeared in four volumes between 1863 and 1872, followed by a supplement in 1877.
Is the Littré still useful for modern French?
It remains valuable for historical vocabulary, older literary usage, etymology, and nineteenth-century definitions. It is not a complete guide to contemporary French because many modern words and meanings arose after Émile Littré died in 1881.
Was Émile Littré only a lexicographer?
No. He was also a physician, translator, philosopher, and prominent interpreter of Auguste Comte's positivism, and he was elected to the Académie française in 1871.
Can the original Littré dictionary be searched online?
Yes. Digitized versions of the Dictionnaire de la langue française allow readers to search its historical definitions and quotations without handling the four-volume print edition.
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