écliptique

Forms

écliptique (plural écliptiques)^[1] Old French ecliptike (second half of the 13th century).^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin eclīpticus (“subject to eclipses, of the ecliptic”), which is from Ancient Greek ἐκλειπτικός (ekleiptikós, “relating to eclipses”),^[2][1][4][5] a derivative of ἔκλειψις (ékleipsis, “eclipse”).^[4] The noun goes back to the Greek name of the ecliptic circle, since eclipses happen near the points where this circle crosses the Moon's orbit.^[6][3] It is related to éclipse.^[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the second half of the 13th century as ligne ecliptike in an Introduction d'astronomie, for the line of the ecliptic.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word was rare in Middle French and came into use again around 1611, when Cotgrave records it.^[2][4][3] In the 17th century it was taken up as a feminine noun for the great circle that the Sun seems to trace across the celestial sphere in a year; it is now masculine.^[3][6][7] The old adjectival sense “relating to eclipses” has gone out of use; since 1870 the adjective has meant “relating to the ecliptic”.^[3][6] Unlike éclipse, it has remained a scientific term.^[3]

Timeline

• Second half of the 13th century – Ligne ecliptike appears in an astronomical treatise.^[2]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records the word, rare before then.^[2][4]
• 17th century – It is used as a feminine noun for the great circle of the Sun's path.^[3][6]
• 1870 – The adjective takes the sense “relating to the ecliptic”.^[3][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (astronomy) The ecliptic: the great circle the Sun appears to trace on the celestial sphere in a year, the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun: l’obliquité de l’écliptique.^[6][8][7]

Adjective

1. (astronomy) Relating to the ecliptic.^[6][2]
2. (obsolete) Relating to eclipses: limites écliptiques.^[2][6][7]

Related words

• éclipse
• éclipser
• Latin eclīpticus

Usage notes

As a noun the word was feminine in the 17th century, and Littré still gives it as feminine; it is now masculine.^[6][7]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse