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économiser

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Etymology and origin of the French word économiser

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1718 Académie More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek οἰκονομία

Pronunciation

  • /e.kɔ.nɔ.mi.ze/[1]

Forms

économiser[1] First written œconomiser (1718); the modern spelling dates from 1740.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French économie + -iser.[1][4][3] The noun économie (1370, Oresme) was taken from Latin oeconomia, from Ancient Greek οἰκονομία (oikonomía, “household management”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Académie recorded it in 1718, under the spelling œconomiser, in the sense “to manage, administer with thrift”.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The first sense, “to manage wisely”, followed the noun économie in its old meaning of good household management.[2] As the noun's meaning shifted, the verb came to mean using something sparingly, spending with restraint: Richelet has it in 1759, and Madame de Graffigny had already used it figuratively in 1747.[2][3][6]

The sense “to put money aside, to save” dates from 1835.[2][7] From it comes the technical word économiseur (1890), a device that saves fuel or energy.[2] The old sense of administering is now obsolete.[7][6]

Timeline

  • 1718 – The Académie records œconomiser “to manage with thrift”.[3][2]
  • 1740 – The spelling économiser appears.[2]
  • 1747 – Madame de Graffigny uses it figuratively for sparing something.[3]
  • 1759 – Richelet has it for spending or consuming less.[3][6]
  • 1835 – The sense “to put money aside” is recorded.[2][7]
  • 1890 – The derivative économiseur appears.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (obsolete) To manage or administer wisely.[7][6]
  2. To use sparingly, to avoid wasting: économiser l'eau.[7][6][8] Figuratively, of time or strength: économiser ses forces.[7][6][8]
  3. To put money aside, to save.[9][7][6] Also used without an object: elle économise pour partir en voyage.[9][7][6]

Word family

  • économiseur

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 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
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Économiser.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/%C3%A9conomiser. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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