antagoniste

Forms

antagoniste m (plural antagonistes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνιστής (antagōnistḗs, “opponent, rival”), a medical Hellenism first used of muscles.^[2][3][1] The Wiktionnaire and the FEW, which files it under antagonista, have it come through Latin.^[4][5] The Greek word is formed from ἀντί (antí, “against”) and ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “combatant”),^[6][2] and belongs to the family of ἀγωνία (agōnía, “struggle”), the source of agonie.^[2] The Grand Robert analyses the prefix as ἄντα (ánta, “face to face”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1575 as an adjective describing a muscle that works against another.^[2][3][7] The GLLF has the anatomical term in Ambroise Paré as early as 1560,^[8] and Littré quotes Paré: Les deux autres muscles antagonistes, c'est-à-dire qui leur sont contraires (“the two other antagonist muscles, that is, those which are contrary to them”).^[6]

Semantic evolution

Already in the 16th century the adjective took on the general sense “opposed, rival”, and it became a noun at the start of the 17th century.^[2] The GLLF dates the modern sense to the 17th century, in Malherbe.^[8] The Académie's first dictionary (1694) has it only as a noun, “adversary, one opposed to another in an opinion”, with the example Les Scotistes sont antagonistes perpetuels des Thomistes (“the Scotists are the perpetual antagonists of the Thomists”).^[9]

The anatomical sense lives on beside the general one: muscles antagonistes are contrasted with muscles congénères or agonistes.^[10][7] In modern science the word also names a substance that blocks a cell receptor and so prevents the action of another substance.^[7][11] The Wiktionnaire also records it for the character who opposes the protagonist in Greek drama.^[4]

Timeline

• 1560 – The GLLF finds the anatomical term in Paré.^[8]
• 1575 – First record as an adjective, of a muscle.^[2][3]
• 16th century – The general sense “opposed, rival” appears.^[2]
• Early 17th century – It is used as a noun.^[2]
• 1694 – The Académie defines the noun as “adversary”.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (anatomy, physiology) Of a muscle: acting in the opposite direction to another.^[7][12][1]
2. (dentistry) Of a tooth: in the opposite jaw.^[7][4]
3. (pharmacology) Of a substance: blocking a receptor and preventing another substance from acting.^[7][11]
4. Opposed, rival, in conflict: des intérêts antagonistes.^[7][11][8]

Noun

1. An adversary, an opponent.^[7][10][6]
2. (anatomy) An antagonist muscle.^[10][1]
3. (pharmacology) A substance that blocks a receptor.^[7][11]
4. (theatre) The character who opposes the protagoniste.^[4]

Related words

• antagonisme
• antagonique
• protagoniste
• agonie
• agoniste

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 636a
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Académie française (1694), Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise, 1st ed., Paris: Coignard
10. ^ a b c Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
11. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
12. ^ 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