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avion

Etymology and origin of the French word avion

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Coinage
First attested
1875, Clément Ader (Avion, proper name)
Ultimate origin
Latin (avis)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /a.vjɔ̃/[1]

Forms

avion m (plural avions)[1]

Etymology

It was coined by the engineer Clément Ader as the name of his flying machines, l'Avion I“, ”l'Avion II (1875), from Latin avis (“bird”) with the suffix “-on”.[2][3][1][4] The GLLF dates Ader's use to 1890.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first a proper name, Avion, the machine invented by Clément Ader (1875).[2][3]

Semantic evolution

About 1913–14 it came to mean a military aeroplane, and it gradually replaced aéroplane, which was far more usual until about 1920.[2][3][1]

Timeline

  • 1875 – Avion, the name of Ader's machine.[2][3]
  • 1890 – Ader's use, according to the GLLF.[4]
  • c. 1913–14 – A military aeroplane.[2][3]
  • c. 1920 – It displaces aéroplane.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An aeroplane, aircraft: prendre l'avion, voyager en avion, avion de ligne, avion à réaction.[3][4][1]
  2. Par avion: by airmail.[3]
  • aviation
  • aviateur
  • hydravion
  • porte-avions
  • Latin avis

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 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
Cite this entry

“Avion.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/avion. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·