émulsion

Forms

émulsion f (plural émulsions)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation from Latin ēmulsus (“milked out, drawn out”), the past participle of ēmulgeō (“to milk out, drain, extract”).^[2][3][4][5] Some sources take it from the supine ēmulsum instead.^[5][6][7] The Latin verb is formed from ex- and mulgeō (“to milk”), which gave Old French moudre “to milk”, a verb later pushed out by its homonym and replaced by traire.^[4][6] That verb belongs to an Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *melg- (“to milk”), also seen in English milk and German Milch.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1560 in Ambroise Paré, in une emulsion de semence papaveris albi, a milky preparation made from white poppy seed.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

It began as a term of pharmacy for a milky preparation holding an oily substance in suspension, such as one made from almonds.^[4][7] In the 19th century it was taken up by chemistry for any mixture in which one liquid is spread as tiny droplets through another that it does not mix with.^[4][2] In photography it names the light-sensitive coating of silver salts in gelatin, a sense the DHLF dates to 1878 and the TLFi to 1922.^[4][2][8]

Timeline

• 1560 – Ambroise Paré uses it in pharmacy.^[2][3]
• 1690 – The verb émulsionner appears.^[4]
• 1755 – The adjective émulsif is recorded in pharmacy.^[4]
• 1878 – Émulsion photographique appears.^[4]
• 1922 – The Larousse records the photographic sense.^[2][6]
• 1932 – Émulsifiant is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chemistry) A dispersion of fine droplets of one liquid in another with which it does not mix: une émulsion d'huile dans l'eau.^[2][8]
2. (pharmacy) A milky preparation that holds an oily or resinous substance in suspension.^[2][8][7]
3. (photography) Émulsion photographique: a light-sensitive coating of silver salts in gelatin, spread on a film or plate.^[8][2]

Word family

• émulsionner
• émulsif
• émulsifiant

Related words

• émulsine
• traire
• Latin ēmulgeō

References

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