Etymology: < (i) Middle French, French sublime (adjective) excellent, admirable, perfect (c1470 with reference to a thing, probably 1549 with reference to a person), (of a person) occupying a high rank or office (1540), (of a person or thing) rising up high, attaining a great height (1552), (of a thing) set or raised aloft (first attested later than in English: 1572), (of a muscle) superficial (1745 or earlier), (noun) the brain (1659; now obsolete), the grand and elevated style in discourse or writing (first attested later than in English: 1669), that quality in nature or art which inspires awe, reverence, or other high emotion (1690), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin sublīmis (also sublīmus) high up, elevated, high, (of breath) shallow, panting, tall, lofty, aspiring, grand, elevated in style, majestic, exalted, noble, eminent, illustrious, in post-classical Latin also designating a muscle lying near the surface (1618 or earlier) and designating a branch of geometry which uses the methods of calculus (1684 in the passage translated in quot. 1715 for sublime geometry n. at Compounds), probably < sub- sub- prefix + līmis (also līmus ) oblique (see limulus n.). Compare Catalan sublim (15th cent.), Spanish sublime (a1440), Portuguese sublime (1549), Italian sublime (1282).With sense Compounds compare French †géométrie sublime geometry which uses the methods of calculus (1730 or earlier). With sense A. 7 compare classical Latin anhelitus sublīmis , post-classical Latin respiratio sublimis (1539 or earlier), ancient Greek πνεῦμα μετέωρον shallow breath. In from the sublime to the ridiculous is but one step at Phrases after French du sublime au ridicule, il n'y a qu'un pas (1777 or earlier; attributed to Fontanelle, although Fontanelle has only le magnifique et le ridicule sont is voisins qu'ils se touchent ‘the magnificent and the ridiculous are such close neighbours that they touch one another’ ( Fontenelle Nouveaux dialogues des morts (1683) 98)). The phrase was popularized by its use by Napoleon); compare:1812 Napoleon in D. G. F. De Pradt Hist. Ambassade dans Grand Duché Varsovie (1815) 215 Du sublime au ridicule il n'ya q'un pas. With sense A. 8 compare earlier sublimy adj. and discussion at that entry. With use as noun compare classical Latin sublimia (neuter plural) elevated style (Quintilian). A Greek treatise of the 1st cent. a.d., Περὶ ὕψους, ‘On the sublime’, formerly attributed to Cassius Longinus, focuses on the sublime as an important quality of style (compare quot. 1870 at sense B. 1a).

Etymology: Originally < (i) Middle French, French sublimer to subject (a substance) to the action of heat in a container so as to convert it into vapour, which is driven off and is deposited in a solid form on a cool surface (1314 in Old French, earliest in past participle sublimé ; late 14th cent. in infinitive), to elevate (a person) to honours, to glorify (a person) (c1350), (of a substance) to undergo the process of sublimation (15th cent.), to raise (a material object) up on high (1552; obsolete after early 17th cent.), and (ii) its etymon classical Latin sublīmāre to place in an elevated position, raise, in post-classical Latin also to elevate, exalt, glorify (4th cent.), to elevate to honours (5th cent.), to sublimate, vaporize (frequently from 12th cent. in British sources; < sublīmis sublime adj.). In later use also partly (iii) < sublime adj. Compare Old Occitan sublimar (1397), Catalan sublimar (14th cent.), Spanish sublimar (c1250, earliest in past participle sublimado ), Portuguese sublimar (1549), Italian sublimare (a1249, earliest in past participle sublimato ). Compare later sublimate v.