adhésion

Forms

adhésion f (plural adhésions)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin adhaesiō (“point of contact, adhesion”), from the supine of adhaereō (“to cling to”).^{[2][3][4][5][6][1]} The Latin noun is rare in classical texts, where Cicero uses it of atoms joining together; its figurative use belongs to Christian Latin.^[2] The Latin verb is formed from haereō (“to cling, stick”).^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1372 in Oresme's translation of Aristotle's Politics, meaning a close attachment to something.^[8][9][4] The concrete sense “joining”, in medicine, is found in 1380 in Conty's Problèmes d'Aristote.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From 1419 it meant support for someone's party,^[2] and it was taken up again in 1701 for “consent, approval”.^[3] About 1860 it was specialized in politics for joining an organization or a party, as with the verb adhérer.^[3] The concrete sense “adherence” has become dated, except in physics for the force that holds two bodies in contact.^[5][2]

Timeline

• c. 1372 – Oresme uses it in his translation of the Politics.^[8][9]
• 1380 – Conty uses it for the joining of nourishment to a limb.^[2]
• 1419 – Used for support of someone's party.^[2]
• 1701 – Taken up for “consent, approval”.^[3]
• c. 1860 – Used for joining a political organization.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (dated) adherence, the fact of sticking to something; in physics, the force that resists the separation of two bodies in contact.^[5][2]
2. Considered approval or agreement: refuser son adhésion à une réforme.^[5][10]
3. The act of joining an association or a party, membership: un bulletin d'adhésion.^[5][10]
4. (international law) A state's acceptance of the obligations of a treaty already concluded between other states.^[5][10]

Related words

• adhérence
• adhérent
• adhérer
• adhésif
• cohésion
• Latin adhaesiō

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 141a
7. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)