grimoire

Etymology

Mostly thought to come from the Frankish word *grīma (“mask, sorcerer”) which is also the origin of the word grimace. Another source could be the Italian word rimario ("book of rhymes") which eventually adopted a hard "g" as it moved to France. Either way, the word melded with the French word grimaire an old spelling of the word grammaire (“grammar”), Génin, as well as Littré, suggest "grammar" in the meaning of "study of Latin" and "profound and occult science".

Borrowed from French grimoire, from Old French gramaire, from Ancient Greek γραμματικός (grammatikós, “knowing how to read and write”). See also grammar, glamour.

Pronunciation

• enPR: grĭmʹwä(r)ʹ, IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹɪmˌwɑː(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɪmwɑː(ɹ)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

grimoire (plural grimoires)

1. A book of instructions in the use of magic or alchemy, especially summoning demons.

Etymology

Mostly thought to come from the Frankish word *grīma (“mask, sorcerer”) which is also the origin of the word grimace. Another source could be the Italian word rimario ("book of rhymes") which eventually adopted a hard "g" as it moved to France. Either way, the word melded with the French word grimaire an old spelling of the word grammaire (“grammar”), Génin, as well as Littré, suggest "grammar" in the meaning of "study of Latin" and "profound and occult science". Old French gramaire, from Ancient Greek γραμματικός (grammatikós, “knowing how to read and write”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡʁi.mwaʁ/

Noun

grimoire m (plural grimoires)

1. grimoire

Further reading

• “grimoire” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).