électorat

Forms

électorat m (plural électorats)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French électeur + -at, on the stem of Latin ēlector (“chooser”).^{[2][3][4][5][1]} Medieval Latin had electoratus (“dignity of an imperial elector”) in 1414.^[2][6] The Latin noun comes from ēligō (“to choose”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in 1601 in Jean Le Petit's history of Holland, is for the territory under the authority of an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Cotgrave in 1611 has it for the dignity of an Elector, one of the princes who chose the Emperor.^[2][6] Both senses are now historical.^[2]

From the end of the 18th century it meant the status of an elector, the right to vote in an election, a mainly administrative use.^[6][7] By 1847 it named the whole body of voters, or a part of it, which is now its usual sense.^[7][6][2]

Timeline

• 1414 – Medieval Latin electoratus “dignity of an imperial elector”.^[2]
• 1601 – First French record, for an Elector's territory.^[2][6]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records the sense “dignity of an Elector”.^[2]
• late 18th century – It comes to mean the right to vote.^[7][6]
• 1847 – First used for the body of voters.^[7][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (history) The dignity of an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, and the territory he ruled: l'électorat de Saxe.^[2][7][4]
2. The right to vote, the status of an électeur: la loi accorde l'électorat aux jeunes de dix-huit ans.^[2][7]
3. The electorate, the body of voters of a country, constituency or party: l'électorat rural.^[7][4]

Related words

• électeur
• électoral
• élection
• élire
• Latin ēlector

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le 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