astronautique

Forms

astronautique (plural astronautiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French astro- + nautique (“nautical”), on the model of aéronautique.^[2] The second element goes back to Ancient Greek ναυτικός (nautikós, “of ships, of seafaring”).^[2][3] The GLLF instead connects it with ναύτης (naútēs, “sailor”).^[4] Wiktionary analyses the word as astronaute with the suffix -ique,^[1] but the TLFi dates that noun only from 1928.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is recorded in 1842 in the sense of the astronomy used by navigators on the high seas.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The modern sense, the science of travel through space, is dated 1910 by the Petit Robert,^[3] while the GLLF first finds it in 1927 in Rosny aîné^[4] and the TLFi's first record is the Larousse of 1928.^[6] Through the 20th century the noun and the adjective came to cover the whole field of spaceflight, with phrases such as programme astronautique and industrie astronautique.^[5] A rare synonym is cosmonautique.^[5]

Timeline

• 1842 – First recorded, for astronomy used in navigation on the open sea.^[3][2]
• 1910 – First record of the sense “science of space navigation”.^[3]
• 1927 – Used by Rosny aîné.^[4]
• 1928 – Recorded by the Larousse, the TLFi's first date.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to space navigation or spaceflight: une base astronautique.^[5]

Noun

1. The science of travel through space, astronautics.^[5][3][4]

Related words

• astronaute
• aéronautique
• cosmonautique
• nautique

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e 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
6. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF