combattant

Forms

combattant m (plural combattants, feminine combattante)^[1] Old French cumbatant, plural cumbatanz, in the Chanson de Roland.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is the present participle from French combattre, used as an adjective and a noun.^[2][4][5] The verb goes back to Vulgar Latin *combattō, an alteration of the 6th-century Latin combattuō, formed on battuō (“to beat”).^[2][1]

Old French also had the agent nouns combatere and combateor, which lasted into the 16th century.^[3] Littré distinguishes them: the participle names the one who is fighting at the moment, while the agent noun named one who fought by habit or trade.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is found in the Chanson de Roland (about 1100), in the line De cels de France XX milie cumbatanz “of those of France, twenty thousand fighting men”.^[2] Rey dates this use to 1080, and the GLLF also gives 1080.^[4][6]

Semantic evolution

From a warrior in battle the noun was extended to anyone who fights with others, as in a brawl (Richelet, 1680).^[2][4] In the history of chivalry it named the assistant or tenant of a knight in a tournament (Académie, 1718), and in zoology (1775) a wading bird of very combative character.^[2][4] The adjective, “taking part in combat”, is dated by the GLLF to 1832.^[6]

The compound non-combattant (1842) names members of the military staff whose duties do not include fighting.^[4] The English word combatant (mid-15th century) was taken from Old French combatant.^[7]

Timeline

• 1100 – Cumbatanz “fighting men” appears in the Chanson de Roland.^[2]
• 1472 – Bloch and Wartburg's date for the derivative.^[8]
• 1475 – Combattans à cheval “mounted fighters” is recorded.^[2]
• 1680 – Richelet records it of one who fights with others in a brawl.^[2]
• 1718 – The Académie records the chivalric sense “assistant in a tournament”.^[2]
• 1775 – Valmont de Bomare uses it as a bird name.^[2]
• 1832 – First record of the adjective.^[6]
• 1842 – Non-combattant appears.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A person who takes part in a fight or a war; a fighter, soldier.^[9][2][1]
2. Anciens combattants: veterans of a past war, grouped in associations.^[9][6]
3. (familiar) A person who fights with his fists; an opponent.^[9]
4. (history) An assistant or tenant of a knight in a tournament.^[2][3]
5. (zoology) A wading bird known for its combative character.^[2][4]

Adjective

1. Taking part in combat, especially military: une division combattante.^[2][9]

Word family

• non-combattant

Related words

• combattre
• combat
• combatif

Usage notes

Corneille's line Et le combat cessa, faute de combattants (“and the fight ended for lack of fighters”) is a familiar quotation.^[9] Littré notes the joking use le bal, le jeu finit faute de combattants, of a ball or a game that ends for lack of dancers or players.^[3]

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 k l m n o 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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert