Etymologically
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camp

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɑ̃/[1]

Forms

camp m (plural camps)[1] Can (about 1450), then camp (end of the 15th century).[2][3]

Etymology

It is probably the Norman-Picard form of champ, borrowed from Picard camp, or the Occitan camp, taken in its military sense; the TLFi and Rey think this more likely than a borrowing from Italian campo, a military term in the 13th century.[3][2][4][5] Both forms continue Latin campus (“field, plain”).[4][6][7] “Champ” and campus are doublets.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears about 1450 in lit de can, a folding bed used in military camps; at the end of the 15th century Commynes has lit de camp and tenir ung camp, the ground on which an army settles or entrenches.[3][2][8]

Semantic evolution

By metonymy it named the army in its camp (1543).[3] Camp volant, a temporary camp (1548), came to mean an unsettled life (1833); lever le camp is recorded in 1671, and foutre le camp “to clear off” is in Stendhal (1836), with tout fout le camp from 1870.[3][2] Aide de camp is in Furetière (1690), and the camp d'aviation in 1921.[3]

Camp de concentration, used in France from 1916, is a calque of English concentration camp from the Boer War; since 1945 it has above all named the Nazi camps.[2][3] By analogy it means a side in politics (1813), in games and sports (1875) and in debates (changer de camp, 1904).[3][2] Without military sense it names a camping ground or a youth or holiday camp; in Canada a camp is a wooden cabin.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1450 – Lit de can.[3]
  • Late 15th century – A military camp, Commynes.[3]
  • 1548 – Camp volant.[3]
  • 1671 – Lever le camp.[3]
  • 1690 – Aide de camp, Furetière.[3]
  • 1813 – A side in a dispute.[3]
  • 1836 – Foutre le camp, Stendhal.[3]
  • 1916 – Camp de concentration in France.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A camp, ground where troops are stationed: camp militaire, camp retranché, aide de camp.[6][9]
  2. A place where people are held: camp de concentration, camp de réfugiés, camp de travail.[1][2]
  3. A camp for holidays or camping: camp de vacances, feu de camp.[1][2]
  4. A side, a party: le camp adverse, changer de camp.[1][3]
  5. Lever le camp, (familiar) ficher le camp, (vulgar) foutre le camp: to clear off.[2][9]
  6. (Canada) A small wooden cabin.[2]

Word family

  • camper
  • campement
  • décamper

Usage notes

A separate adjective camp (pronounced /kɑ̃p/), borrowed from English, means deliberately affected or kitsch.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 156a
  8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse