biologie

Forms

biologie f (plural biologies)^[1]

Etymology

The TLFi takes it as borrowed from German Biologie, a word coined in 1802 by the naturalist G. R. Treviranus in the title of a book, from the stem of Ancient Greek βίος (bíos, “life”) and λόγος (lógos, “discourse, treatise”).^[2] Littré likewise says that the word was created by Treviranus and first used in French by Lamarck.^[3] The Petit Robert and the GLLF instead derive it from bio- and -logie in French,^[4][5] and Wiktionary leaves open whether Lamarck formed it himself or took it from German or New Latin.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Lamarck's Hydrologie of 1802,^[2][6][3] for the science of living beings.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Lamarck used it again in his Discours d'ouverture of 1803^[3] and in the Philosophie zoologique of 1809.^[2] Littré defined it as the science of organized beings, which seeks the laws of their actions through the laws of their organization.^[3] By metonymy, and rarely, it has also meant a philosophical theory of life and a living organism.^[2] Picoche dates biologique and biologiste to the 19th century, beside later compounds such as astrobiologie and radiobiologie (20th century).^[7]

Timeline

• 1802 – Lamarck uses it in his Hydrologie.^[2][3]
• 1803 – Lamarck uses it in his opening lecture on the question of species.^[3]
• 1809 – It appears in Lamarck's Philosophie zoologique.^[2]
• 19th century – The derivatives biologique and biologiste appear.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. Biology, the science of life and of living beings.^[2][4][1]
2. Biologie animale, biologie végétale: the study of animal or plant organisms.^[5][4]
3. Biologie cellulaire, biologie moléculaire: the branches dealing with the cell and with molecules.^[4]
4. (rare) A philosophical theory of life.^[2]

Word family

• biologique
• biologiste
• microbiologie

Related words

• microbe
• symbiose
• Ancient Greek βίος (bíos)

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)