Etymologically
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cocaïne

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 22:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ.ka.in/[1]

Forms

cocaïne f (countable and uncountable, plural cocaïnes)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from coca with the suffix -ine,[2][3][1][4] the name of the alkaloid extracted from coca leaves and isolated by Niemann.[5] “Coca” (1568) is from Spanish coca, from Quechua or Aymara “kuka”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Maurice La Châtre's dictionary (1856) is the first record.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The name of the alkaloid passed by metonymy to the substance prepared from it, used in medicine as a local anaesthetic and as a narcotic.[5][6] Traffickers and users shortened it to coco (1912–1922, now dated) and coke, after American English (from 1908).[5][6] The late 19th century formed cocaïnomanie and cocaïnomane (1886), the latter first a doctor who treated with cocaine.[5]

Timeline

  • 1568 – Coca in French.[4]
  • 1856 – Cocaïne in La Châtre.[2]
  • 1886 – Cocaïnomanie.[5]
  • 1912 – Coco.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Cocaine (the alkaloid; the drug): priser de la cocaïne.[6][7]

Word family

  • cocaïnomane
  • cocaïnomanie
  • coca
  • coke

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)