astronomique

Forms

astronomique (plural astronomiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin astronomicus, from Ancient Greek ἀστρονομικός (astronomikós), from ἀστρονομία (astronomía, “astronomy”).^{[2][3][4][1][5]} The Grand Robert takes it directly from the Greek adjective.^[6] The Greek noun is formed from ἄστρον (ástron, “star”) and the element -nomia of νέμω (némō, “to distribute”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Eustache Deschamps (late 14th to early 15th century) it means “written in the stars”: la voie astronomique d'Alixandre (“Alexander's destiny written in the stars”).^[7][2]

Semantic evolution

In Middle French it also meant simply “relating to the stars”.^[7] An older use as a synonym of astrologique, said of beliefs in the influence of the stars on human life, has become historical.^[8] By 1694 the Académie defined it as belonging to astronomy, with tables astronomiques and observations astronomiques.^[9]

In modern French it is also used figuratively of very great precision, as in Claudel's exactitude astronomique, and above all of enormous quantities: chiffres astronomiques for very large numbers and, familiarly, prix astronomiques for excessive prices.^[8][2][4]

Timeline

• 1407 – Eustache Deschamps uses it.^[2][7]
• 1694 – The Académie records tables astronomiques and observations astronomiques.^[9]
• 1948 – Cendrars writes of the prix astronomiques of the black market.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or relating to astronomy: des calculs astronomiques.^[4][2][3]
2. Unité astronomique: a unit of length equal to the mean radius of the Earth's orbit.^[4][1]
3. (historical) Astrological, relating to the influence of the stars on human life.^[8]
4. (figurative) Enormous, said of numbers and figures;^[4][2][8][1] (familiar) exorbitant, said of prices.^[4][2][8][1]

Related words

• astronomie
• astronome
• astre
• astrologique
• Ancient Greek ἀστρονομία (astronomía)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Académie française (1694), Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise, 1st ed., Paris: Coignard