Etymologically
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apogée

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /a.pɔ.ʒe/[1]

Forms

apogée m (plural apogées)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from New Latin apogaeum,[2][3][1][4] from Ancient Greek ἀπόγειον (apógeion), the neuter of ἀπόγειος (apógeios, “far from the earth”), which in Ptolemy's system named the greatest distance of a planet from the Earth;[2][5][6] the Greek word is formed from ἀπό (apó, “away from”) and γῆ (gê, “earth”).[1][7]

Its opposite is périgée, which has no figurative sense.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a Renaissance term of astronomy, first recorded in 1557 (1562 according to the Petit Robert), for the point of an orbit farthest from the Earth.[2][3][8]

Semantic evolution

In 1652 Guez de Balzac used it figuratively for the highest point, the peak of glory or power, a sense that has become usual (à l'apogée de sa gloire, Sainte-Beuve's Napoleon after Tilsit à l'apogée de sa grandeur).[2][5][6] In the mid-20th century the astronomical sense was extended to artificial satellites.[2][9] It was also, rarely, an adjective (1690: la lune est apogée).[2][7]

Timeline

  • 1557 – A term of astronomy.[2]
  • 1652 – Figurative use in Guez de Balzac.[2]
  • 1690 – As an adjective.[2]
  • Mid-20th century – Of artificial satellites.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (astronomy) The apogee: the point of an orbit farthest from the Earth.[8][10]
  2. The peak, height, climax: à l'apogée de sa carrière.[8][10]
  • périgée
  • aphélie
  • géo-
  • Ancient Greek γῆ (gê)
  • English apogee

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 25, 16a
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ 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
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)