classifier

Forms

classifier^[1] Early 16th-century spelling clacyfier.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French classe + -ifier.^[1] The TLFi, the Grand Robert and Littré describe it as modelled on a Latin type *classificō, made of classis (“class”) and the verb-forming element -ficō “make”.^[2][4][5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears, as clacyfier, in Fossetier's Vie de Jesus Christ at the beginning of the 16th century, meaning to arrange a text according to classifications; the TLFi calls this an isolated record.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word did not take hold at first: in 1787 Féraud remarked, under classification, that nobody had yet said classifier.^[2] The GLLF dates the modern sense from that remark,^[3] and the TLFi's first example of it is Joubert's la manie de classifier (1824).^[2][7] Rey notes that it kept going as a technical synonym of classer, mostly from the 19th century on;^[7] Littré still labelled it a neologism.^[5] It is used mainly in technical language, for sorting plants, animals, minerals or ideas into classes.^[2]

Timeline

• early 16th century – Clacyfier in Fossetier's Vie de Jesus Christ.^[2][3]
• 1780 – The noun classification.^[7]
• 1787 – Féraud notes that the verb is not yet in use.^[2][3]
• 1824 – Joubert's Pensées use it in the sense “to sort into classes”.^[2][7]
• 1873 – Littré records it as a neologism.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To classify, to sort methodically into classes according to a set of criteria: classifier les insectes.^[6][2][3]
2. (absolute) To make classifications.^[6][5]

Word family

• classification
• classificateur
• classificatoire

Related words

• classe
• classer
• Latin classis

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert