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Etymology and origin of the French word antonyme

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
1842 More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ἀντί,ὄνομα
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French antonyme
English antonym

Pronunciation

  • /ɑ̃.tɔ.nim/[1]

Forms

antonyme m (plural antonymes)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French anti- + -onyme on the model of synonyme.[2][1][3] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert derive it instead from antonymie, on the same model.[4][5] The elements go back to Ancient Greek ἀντί (antí, “against”) and ὄνομα (ónoma, “name”).[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Etymonline dates the French word to 1842.[8] The TLFi's first record is a sentence of Proudhon (before 1866) quoted in Pierre Larousse's dictionary, where every word of a language has its contrary or its antonyme.[2] Rey notes that the word must be older than its entry in Larousse (1866).[3]

Semantic evolution

The word names a word or phrase whose sense is contrary to another's, whether the two are opposites or complementary, and the relation, antonymie, is one of the key notions of semantics.[3] Antonymie itself would go back to Robespierre (before 1794), according to Boiste in 1829.[3] Several 19th- and 20th-century dictionaries also record antonyme as an adjective.[2]

English antonym (1867) was coined as the opposite of synonym;[8] Etymonline notes that the French word is older.[8]

Timeline

  • 1842 – Etymonline's date for French antonyme.[8]
  • Before 1866 – Proudhon uses it.[2]
  • 1866 – Pierre Larousse's dictionary records it.[7][5][3]
  • 1867 – English antonym appears.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A word or phrase whose meaning is directly opposite to that of another; a contraire: « Rapide » est l'antonyme de « lent ».[5][9][2]

Adjective

  1. (of two words) Opposite in meaning: « Haut » et « bas » sont antonymes.[10][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
  7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Antonyme.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/antonyme. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·