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antonymie

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Etymology and origin of the French word antonymie

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1823 Boiste More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ἀντί,ὄνομα

Pronunciation

  • /ɑ̃.tɔ.ni.mi/[1]

Forms

antonymie f (plural antonymies).[2][3]

Etymology

The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert analyse it as from French anti- + -onymie.[4][2] Wiktionary and the GLLF derive it from antonyme.[1][5] Littré gives the Greek elements Ancient Greek ἀντί (antí, “against”) and ὄνομα (ónoma, “name”), with its variant ὄνυμα (ónuma).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Boiste's dictionary first records it in 1823, in its additions, as an opposition of irreconcilable words or names, attributed to Robespierre.[7][4][2]

Semantic evolution

Boiste's edition of 1829 credits the word to Robespierre, before 1794.[4][8] It was in the Académie's supplement of 1842.[3] In linguistics it came to mean the semantic relation between antonyms, words of opposite sense, and also the fact that such words exist.[8][3] Rey counts antonymy among the key notions of semantics.[8] Barrès used it figuratively in 1908 for an opposition, of thought and action.[3]

Timeline

  • 1823 – Boiste records it, “an opposition of irreconcilable words”.[7][4]
  • 1829 – Boiste attributes it to Robespierre.[4][8]
  • 1834 – Date given by the Petit Robert of 1967.[7]
  • 1842 – Recorded in the Académie's supplement.[3]
  • 1908 – Barrès uses it figuratively.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (linguistics) antonymy, the relation of opposite meaning between two antonyms.[3][2][9]
  2. (linguistics) The existence of antonyms as a fact of language.[3]
  3. (figurative) An opposition between two things.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Antonymie.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/antonymie. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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