camion

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ka.mjɔ̃/^[1]
• IPA: /ka.mi.jɔ̃/^[1]
• IPA (Toulouse): /ka.mi.ɔŋ/^[1]

Forms

camion m (plural camions)^[1] Earliest forms chamion and camion (1352); gomion in a 15th-century text.^[2][3]

Etymology

The origin is unknown.^{[2][4][5][3][6]} A link with the stem of Occitan caminar (“to travel”) (see chemin) is difficult in its form, and so is one with Late Latin chamulcus (“low wagon”), from Ancient Greek χαμουλκός (khamoulkós).^[2][7][5] Pierre Guiraud, noting that its technical senses all suggest smallness (a small cart, a small pin, a pot), took it for a form of ⟨chat-mion⟩ “little cat”, ingeniously but without proof.^[7][5] Littré reports that Corblet called it a Picard word, and wondered whether the Late Latin words for a cart, campolus and camuleus, contain the stem of Latin cama (“low bed”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A Latin–French glossary of 1352 has chamion, camion “a kind of cart”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In 1564 it named a small wheelless vehicle in which the vinegar makers of Paris dragged their lees, by 1680 a cart for goods (Richelet) and in 1751 a four-wheeled wagon for heavy loads (Encyclopédie).^[2][7] From 1915 it is the heavy motor vehicle, first as camions-autos (Joffre) and camions automobiles (Barbusse, 1916), then alone and in compounds such as camion-citerne and camion-benne.^[2][7] The familiar beau comme un camion “very handsome” is in René Fallet (1955).^[7][8]

Bloch and Wartburg date camionneur to 1554, other sources to 1819; it first named a draught horse for the cart.^[7][4] camionner and camionnage are from 1829, and camionnette, formed after voiturette, from the end of the 19th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 1352 – Chamion, camion “a kind of cart”.^[2]
• 1554 – Camionneur, according to Bloch and Wartburg.^[4]
• 1564 – The vinegar makers' sledge.^[2]
• 1680 – A cart for goods, in Richelet.^[2]
• 1751 – A four-wheeled wagon, in the Encyclopédie.^[2]
• 1829 – Camionner, camionnage.^[4]
• 1915 – Camions-autos, motor lorries.^[2]
• 1955 – Beau comme un camion.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (formerly) A low four-wheeled wagon for heavy goods.^[9][10]
2. A lorry, truck: camion de déménagement, camion-citerne, a tanker.^[9][1]
3. A pot in which a house painter mixes paint.^[10][2]
4. Beau comme un camion (familiar): very handsome.^[7][8]

Word family

• camionner
• camionnette
• camionneur

Usage notes

A separate noun camion, a very small pin used in lacemaking, is recorded from 1564 (gamyon, 1496) and is of unknown origin.^[5][9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 23, 68b
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse