décentralisation

Forms

décentralisation f (plural décentralisations)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French décentraliser + -ation.^[2][3][4] The TLFi dates the verb only to 1834, after the noun, while Rey dates it to 1827.^[2][5] The family goes back to centre, borrowed from Latin centrum, from Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron, “needle, point”).^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is a use by Méchin, before 1829, cited in Boiste's dictionary, for the action of decentralising.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Rey places it with décentraliser (1827) and décentralisateur (1845) among the words that deal with the balance between the single executive power of the State, the central power of the Revolution, and local institutions.^[5] In the middle of the 20th century it also came to name the policy of moving economic activity out of the capital and the large cities.^[4]

Timeline

• Before 1829 – Méchin uses the word, as cited by Boiste.^[2]
• 1845 – Décentralisateur appears.^[5]
• Mid-20th century – The sense of moving activity away from the capital appears.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. The action of decentralising, or its result.^[7][4]
2. (administration) A system in which public authority is divided and the power to decide is handed to autonomous regional or local bodies: la décentralisation administrative.^[8][7]
3. A policy of moving industry and offices out of the capital and the large cities to the provinces.^[8][4]

Related words

• décentraliser
• décentralisateur
• centralisation
• centraliser

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)