éventail

Éventail is a French noun referring to a hand fan, used to create airflow and cool the face or hands. The term also designates a non-folding ceremonial or decorative fan, and—as a metaphor—it denotes a wide range of options or possibilities, as in un éventail de possibilités.

Most commonly, an éventail is a folding fan. A typical leaf is made of paper, silk, or fabric and is mounted on a frame of ribs (often wood, bamboo, ivory, bone, or mother-of-pearl) connected by a rivet. Folding fans can close into a compact bundle and open with a quick wrist movement. Non-folding fans exist as rigid or semi-rigid constructs, sometimes with ornate handles and gilded or painted surfaces; many antique examples are highly decorated with landscapes, floral motifs, or portraits.

Historically, folding fans became fashionable in Europe from the 17th century onward, especially among the aristocracy and in court circles, and they are frequently depicted in paintings and theater. In France, the éventail acquired a distinct cultural role as a refined accessory, often elaborately decorated by artists and ateliers. The term is used in modern French both for everyday objects and for figurative expressions, such as discussing a spectrum of strategies or options.

Origin and etymology: the word derives from Old French evantail or éventail, related to the verb éventer (to fan or ventilate), linked to the idea of spreading out like a fan, and ultimately tracing to concepts of air movement.

See also: fan (device), fan symbolism, figurative uses of the word éventail.