Etymology and origin of the French word centriste
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- 1918 J. Sadoul, Notes sur la révolution bolchevique More words from the 20th century
- Ultimate origin
- Ancient Greek κέντρον
Etymology tree
From the same root
Pronunciation
- /sɑ̃.tʁist/[1]
Forms
centriste (plural centristes)[1]
Etymology
It is formed from French centre + -iste, from the political sense of the noun.[2][3][4][1] The noun goes back through Latin centrum to Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron, “goad, centre of a circle”).[5]
Earliest recorded meaning
The earliest records are from 1918, in J. Sadoul's notes on the Bolshevik revolution, where centristes are the moderate socialists of Russia beside the Mensheviks and the right.[6][7]
Semantic evolution
The word first described Russian politics and was used in France after 1920.[7] In the 1920s and 1930s it was applied to the moderate wing of socialist and communist parties and to members of the German Centre Party;[6] the TLFi's first quotation (1922) is from L. Daudet.[2] It now names a member or supporter of the political centre, between right and left, and has the derivative centrisme (1936).[7][4]
According to Etymonline, English centrist was taken from the French word in 1872, at first with reference to French politics.[8] The TLFi also notes an older synonym, centrier, used by Balzac.[2]
Timeline
- 1872 – English centrist is recorded, with reference to French politics.[8]
- 1918 – J. Sadoul writes of the Russian centristes.[6][7]
- 1921 – A French translation of Lenin uses it of the moderate socialists.[6]
- 1922 – L. Daudet uses it in Sylla et son destin.[2][3]
- 1932 – The Larousse mensuel uses it of the German Centre Party.[6]
- 1936 – The derivative centrisme appears.[7]
Meanings
Adjective
- (politics) centrist, belonging to the political centre or supporting centrisme: un candidat centriste.[9][2][4]
Noun
- (politics) A centrist, a member or supporter of the centre: les centristes ont voté contre le projet.[9][4]
Related words
Usage notes
An older synonym, centrier, is found in Balzac (1842).[2]
References
- ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ 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
- ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ a b c d Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
- ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
- ^ a b c d e Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
- ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry
“Centriste.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/centriste. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.
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