consomptif

Forms

consomptif (feminine consomptive, plural consomptifs, consomptives)^[1] Older spelling: consumptif.^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned derivative from Latin cōnsūmptus (“consumed, destroyed”), the past participle of cōnsūmō (“to destroy”), with the suffix -if.^[1][2][3] Littré refers it to consomption, the noun of the same Latin family.^[4] Medieval Latin already had cōnsūmptīvus, recorded in the first half of the 12th century in Suger in the figurative sense “destroying”.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears as consumptif in 1314, in Henri de Mondeville's Chirurgie, for a remedy that absorbs the humours of the body.^[1][3] The Anglo-Norman Dictionary also records the word, glossed “absorbent”.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In 1372 J. Corbichon used it of a disease that wastes the body away.^[3] From 1672 it named a caustic that destroys proud flesh and growths, a sense the Académie calls old from 1835 on.^[1] In 1808 Cabanis used it for what is marked by consomption, wasting; a medical dictionary of 1970 describes this use as dated.^[1] Littré already calls the noun un consomptif “old”.^[4]

Timeline

• 1314 – Consumptif appears in Henri de Mondeville's Chirurgie.^[1]
• 1372 – J. Corbichon uses it of a wasting disease.^[3]
• 1672 – A pharmacopoeia uses consomptif for a caustic that destroys growths.^[1]
• 1808 – Cabanis uses it for what is marked by consumption.^[1]
• 1835 – The Académie labels the caustic sense old.^[1]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (medicine, dated) Of a caustic: destroying proud flesh and growths; as a noun, such a caustic.^[1][4][3]
2. (medicine, dated) Accompanied by wasting and emaciation: diabète consomptif.^[1][3]
3. (dated) Of a person: suffering from consumption.^[1]

Related words

• consomption
• consumer
• Latin cōnsūmō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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
2. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
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. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)