biopsie

Forms

biopsie f (plural biopsies)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned coinage, formed from French bio- + -opsie, by the French dermatologist E. H. Besnier (1831–1909).^[2][1] bio- is from Ancient Greek βίος (bíos, “life”) and -opsie from ὄψις (ópsis, “sight”).^[3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1879, in medicine, in Besnier's use cited by Garnier and Delamare's dictionary, for the examination of tissue taken from a living body.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The term is first one of medicine, for the microscopic examination of a sample of tissue or an organ taken from a living being in order to make a diagnosis.^[2][5] By metonymy it also names the taking of the sample itself; this use is recorded in the Larousse universel in 1922.^[2] Paul Valéry used it metaphorically in 1944, of a close examination of a person's character.^[2] The adjective biopsique was derived from it in 1920–24.^[2]

Timeline

• 1879 – Besnier's term is recorded in medicine.^[2][3]
• 1920–24 – The adjective biopsique is first recorded.^[2]
• 1922 – The Larousse universel records the sense “sample taken”.^[2]
• 1944 – Valéry uses the word metaphorically.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A biopsy: the taking of a fragment of tissue from a living being for microscopic examination: une biopsie de la peau.^[4][6][1]
2. The microscopic examination of such a fragment, for diagnosis.^[2][5]
3. Ponction-biopsie: a procedure in which a trocar is inserted into living tissue to take a sample of it.^[6]

Word family

• biopsique

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)