cinématographe

Forms

cinématographe m (plural cinématographes)^[1]

Etymology

It is a compound from French cinéma- + -graphe,^[2] named by the Lumière brothers, who invented the apparatus.^[3][4][1] The first element is from Ancient Greek κίνημα (kínēma, “movement”), genitive κινήματος (kinḗmatos),^[5][4][6] from κινέω (kinéō, “to set in motion”);^[3] the second element, meaning “that records”, goes back to γράφω (gráphō, “to write”).^[4][3]

The TLFi and the Grand Robert date it to 1893, from the text of the patent registration;^[2][5] Rey dates the name to 1892, as a proper name,^[3] the Petit Robert has a single use in 1892,^[6] and the GLLF gives 1895.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first named the apparatus invented by the Lumière brothers to reproduce movement by a series of photographs.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

The short form cinéma followed at once, as Rey dates it to 1893, a sign of how fast the process became popular;^[3] the TLFi's first record of it is from 1899.^[2] Outside its historical sense, cinématographe gave way to cinéma in the senses “art of making films”, “film theatre” and “showing”;^[3] Cocteau and Bresson kept the long form to stress the art of the medium.^[3] As the name of an apparatus it was still used at the start of the 20th century, but both words were soon replaced by caméra and projecteur.^[2]

Timeline

• 1892 – A single early use, as a proper name.^[6][3]
• 1893 – Recorded in the patent registration.^[2][5]
• 1893 – The clipping cinéma appears, according to Rey.^[3]
• 1899 – Trutat uses cinéma for the apparatus.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (history) The apparatus invented by the Lumière brothers to record and project moving pictures through a series of photographs; the cinematograph.^[6][7][8][1]
2. (dated) The cinéma, as an art, a film theatre or a showing.^[4][7][8][6]

Related words

• cinéma
• ciné
• cinématographie
• cinématographique

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 d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)