Etymologically
Log in

biologiste

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the French word biologiste

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1832 Raymond More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek βίος,λόγος
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French biologie
French biologiste

Pronunciation

  • /bjɔ.lɔ.ʒist/[1]

Forms

biologiste m or f by sense (plural biologistes)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French biologie + -iste.[2][3][4][5][1] That noun is made of the stem of Ancient Greek βίος (bíos, “life”) and λόγος (lógos, “discourse”).[2] English biologist is attested earlier, from 1813.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1832, in Raymond's dictionary, for a specialist in biology.[2][5][3]

Semantic evolution

Raymond recorded biologue the same year, on the model of names of sciences such as géologue;[2] biologiste replaced it, and biologue is now dated, though Claude Bernard still used it in 1878.[6][2] The word followed the history of the concept of biology.[6] In hospitals it now also names the doctor in charge of laboratory tests (recorded in 1959).[2]

Timeline

  • 1832 – Raymond records biologue and biologiste.[2][6]
  • 1878 – Claude Bernard still writes biologue.[2]
  • 1959 – Used for the hospital doctor in charge of laboratory tests.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A biologist, a specialist in biology.[2][5][7][8]
  2. (medicine) A doctor in charge of laboratory tests in a hospital: médecin biologiste.[2][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  8. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Biologiste.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/biologiste. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·