cellulose

Forms

cellulose f (uncountable)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French cellule + -ose.^[2][3][1][4] Littré explains the ending as the one chemists gave to certain organic substances.^[5] The base noun is from Latin cellula, a diminutive of cella (“room”).^[6] Etymonline attributes the word to the chemist Anselme Payen, about 1835.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1840 in A. de Jussieu's Botanique, naming the chief substance of the walls of plant cells.^[2][4][8] The Petit Robert dates it to 1839.^[9]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its scientific sense, the main substance of the walls of plant cells, and has taken on technical uses, especially in paper-making, where it names chemical wood pulps.^[9][10] Rey thinks it was formed independently of the older cellulosité (1735).^[4] From it came cellulosique (1878) and, in chemistry, nitrocellulose (1898) and acétocellulose (1928).^[4][2] English cellulose is dated 1840 and comes from the French word.^[7]

Timeline

• 1840 – Jussieu uses the word in his Botanique.^[2]
• 1878 – Cellulosique is first recorded.^[2][4]
• 1898 – Nitrocellulose is formed.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. The substance that forms the walls of plant cells, a polymer of glucose, used to make paper, textiles and explosives.^[9][11][10]
2. (paper-making) Chemical wood pulp, made up mostly of this substance.^[10]

Word family

• cellulosique
• nitrocellulose

Related words

• cellule
• cellulite
• celluloïd
• Latin cellula

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)