bureaucrate

Forms

bureaucrate m (plural bureaucrates)^[1]

Etymology

It is from French bureaucratie, on the model of aristocrate beside aristocratie.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} That noun was coined by the economist Vincent de Gournay (died 1759) from bureau and -cratie, and spread during the Revolution.^[2][7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1790, for a man with power in the offices of the administration.^[2][3][9] Bloch and Wartburg and the TLFi date it from 1792.^[4][10]

Semantic evolution

In the 19th century the word meant a man in a high position in the government offices, as in Stendhal and Balzac, who set the bureaucrate above the mere employé.^[11] Littré still marks it as a neologism, used mostly ironically and in a bad sense, of a powerful man in the offices or even a simple clerk.^[6] The pejorative sense has prevailed: an official who abuses his power over the public, or any office worker seen as narrow and routine-bound.^[3][7][12] English took the word as bureaucrat in 1839.^[13]

Timeline

• 1790 – First recorded.^[2][3]
• 1792 – The date given by the TLFi and Bloch and Wartburg.^[4][10]
• 1798 – Recorded by the Académie.^[10]
• 1836 – Stendhal uses it in Lucien Leuwen for a high official.^[11]
• 1839 – English borrows it as bureaucrat.^[13]

Meanings

Noun

1. (pejorative) An official or employee full of his own importance who abuses his power over the public.^[3][14][15]
2. (pejorative) An office worker, a gratte-papier or rond-de-cuir.^[3][11][15]
3. (dated) A man in a high position in the government offices.^[11]

Adjective

1. Having the routine-bound outlook of an office worker: un esprit un peu bureaucrate.^[11][2]

Related words

• bureaucratie
• bureau
• English bureaucrat

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Hatzfeld, Adolphe; Darmesteter, Arsène; Thomas, Antoine (1890–1900), Dictionnaire général de la langue française du commencement du XVIIe siècle jusqu'à nos jours, Paris: Delagrave
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
9. ^ Bob, dictionnaire d'argot, de français familier et populaire, languefrancaise.net/Bob
10. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
11. ^ a b c d e 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
12. ^ Académie française (1932–1935), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 8th ed., Paris: Hachette
13. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
14. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
15. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)