*un lustre : chandelier
Je ne l'ai pas vu depuis des lustres : I have not seen him in ages
And a very big THANK YOU! to PYL, a reader who wrote in to say:
Dear Red Shoes,
it is somewhat funny to illustrate (if I may say so...) the depuis des lustres French expression with a candelabrum (lustre) because these terms a actually completely unrelated.
In the former acceptance, a lustre is a period of time of five years. It comes from the Latin word lustrum that describes an expiatory sacrifice that was happening every five years during roman antiquity.
In the latter, lustre as a lighting device comes from an italian word lustro meaning "glory or fame" and by extension "bringing light".
Aside from this minor inaccuracy, keep up the otherwise good job of promoting French language which is so rare these days.
Hoping having enlightened you somehow, ;-)
Best regards.
PYL
Interesting! The wonderful thing about learning any language - even one's own - is also learning the origin of words and expressions. Knowing the origin of this 'lustres' in fact will make it much easier to remember the expression --- and I shall go straight back to the French person who told me about the chandeliers! -RS
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