archiviste

Forms

archiviste m or f by sense (plural archivistes)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French archives + -iste.^[2][3][4][5] It replaced the older archivaire (1486), the new suffix sounding more learned and scientific.^[6][3] The base is from Late Latin archivum, from Ancient Greek ἀρχεῖον (arkheîon), a place where public records were kept, properly the residence of the chief magistrates.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Furetière's dictionary records it in 1701 for a person in charge of keeping archives.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its first sense of a keeper of archives.^[6][7] The title archiviste paléographe (1829) was given to the graduates of the École des chartes, who could then hold posts as archivists and librarians.^[6][8][2] By extension it can name a scholar who works through archives, a rare use.^[7][2] Its derivative archivistique (1932) names the science of archives.^[6]

Timeline

• 1486 – The older word archivaire is recorded.^[3][6]
• 1701 – Archiviste appears in Furetière's dictionary.^[2][4]
• 1799 – Paul-Louis Courier uses it of an abbé who had kept the archives of the papal chamber.^[7]
• 1829 – First record of archiviste paléographe.^[6]
• 1932 – The derivative archivistique appears.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. An archivist, a person in charge of keeping and preserving archives: l'archiviste de la mairie a retrouvé l'acte.^[9][10][2]
2. (rare) A scholar who studies archives.^[2][7]
3. Archiviste-paléographe: a graduate of the École nationale des chartes.^[9][2]

Related words

• archives
• archivistique

References

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