calorie

Forms

calorie f (plural calories)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation, from Latin calor (“heat”), with the suffix -ie.^[2][3][1] The Grand Robert adds that it was formed after calorifique and calorique.^[4] The Latin word also gave the inherited chaleur.^[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Grand Robert dates it between 1819 and 1824, to the physicist Clément, as a unit of heat; it spread in physics after 1845.^[4][6] Bloch and Wartburg date it 1835,^[3] and the TLFi's first record is Bescherelle in 1845.^[2] Quemada's datings list a possible record about 1800.^[7]

Semantic evolution

In physics the calorie was a unit of the quantity of heat; the grande calorie equal to 1,000 small ones is recorded in 1960.^[2][7] The word later became very common in dietetics as a measure of the energy value of foods.^[6][5] English took calorie from French in 1866.^[8]

Timeline

• 1819–1824 – Clément uses it as a unit of heat.^[4]
• 1835 – The date Bloch and Wartburg give.^[3]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records it.^[2]
• 1866 – English borrows it.^[8]
• 1960 – Grande calorie is recorded.^[2][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (physics, dated) A unit of the quantity of heat, equal to 4.184 joules.^[5][2]
2. A unit of the energy value of foods, used in dietetics and equal to 1,000 small calories: un repas riche en calories.^[5][9]

Word family

• kilocalorie
• hypocalorique

Related words

• calorique
• calorifique
• chaleur
• Latin calor

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse