économique

Forms

économique (plural économiques)^[1] Old French iconomike (noun) and Middle French yconomique, later also oeconomique.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin oeconomicus (“relating to the management of a household”),^[2][1][3] which is from Ancient Greek οἰκονομικός (oikonomikós), from οἰκονόμος (oikonómos, “one who manages a household”).^[4][5] Picoche places it in the family of οἶκος (oîkos, “house”).^[6] The modern spelling replaced the older forms iconomike and yconomique in the 16th century, and oeconomique was also written until the 18th century.^[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1265 as a noun, iconomike, in Brunet Latin's Trésor, for the part of philosophy that deals with the management of a family, beside ethics and politics.^[2][3] The adjective yconomique, “concerning the running of a household”, is used by Oresme in 1370–1372.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Linked to économie in the sense “saving”, the adjective took its everyday meaning “reducing costs” in 1690, according to Furetière (the TLFi's first clear record is from Staël in 1794).^[3][2] In connection with political economy it came to mean “concerning the production and distribution of wealth” (1767), and the TLFi records science économique in 1803.^[3][7][2] The noun l’économique, the economic sphere, is recorded in 1927.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1265 – Brunet Latin's Trésor has the noun iconomike.^[2]
• 1370–1372 – Oresme uses the adjective yconomique.^[2]
• 16th century – The spelling économique replaces the older forms.^[3]
• 1690 – Furetière gives the sense “thrifty, cost-saving”.^[3][7]
• 1767 – Used of the production and distribution of wealth.^[3][7]
• 1803 – Science économique is recorded.^[2]
• 1927 – L’économique is used as a noun.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (obsolete) Concerning the management of a household.^[7][4]
2. Relating to the economy, to the production, distribution and consumption of wealth: crise économique, politique économique.^[7][1]
3. That saves money or reduces consumption; economical, cheap.^[7][2]

Noun

1. L’économique: the economic sphere, as opposed to the political and the social.^[7]

Word family

• économiquement

Related words

• économie
• économe
• économiser
• économiste
• Latin oeconomicus

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert