diagnostique

Forms

diagnostique (plural diagnostiques)^[1] In the 16th century it was written diagnostic or diagnostique.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek διαγνωστικός (diagnōstikós, “able to discern”), a word of later Greek that was specialised as a medical term.^[4][5][1] The Greek adjective comes from διαγιγνώσκω (diagignṓskō, “to discern, distinguish”), a compound of διά (diá) and γιγνώσκω (gignṓskō, “to come to know”).^[5] Rey compares the Greek verb with Latin nōscō and Old Church Slavonic знати (znati).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1584 in the phrase signes diagnostiques, in Simon Goulart's translation of Peucer's book on divination.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

The word entered French already specialised in medicine, as an adjective for the signs by which a disease is recognised.^[5] It is also found as a noun from 1669.^[5][6] The noun lost ground to its derivative diagnostic, which Bloch and Wartburg date to 1759 and which was formed after the spelling in -ic;^[3] Rey and the Grand Robert date diagnostic to 1732 and 1735.^[5][6] Littré already called the noun use dated.^[7]

In modern medical French the adjective means both what makes it possible to identify a disease and what belongs to a diagnosis.^[4] Proudhon used it figuratively in 1840 of the signs of a social malaise.^[4]

Timeline

• 1584 – Signes diagnostiques appears in Goulart's translation of Peucer.^[4][5]
• 1669 – Used as a noun for a symptom.^[5][6]
• 1732 – The derivative diagnostic appears.^[5]
• 1840 – Proudhon uses it figuratively of a social malaise.^[4]
• 1932 – The Académie gives the example of the signs of tuberculosis and cancer.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (medicine) Allowing a disease to be identified: les signes diagnostiques de la rougeole.^[8][9][4]
2. Relating to a diagnostic: un test diagnostique, une erreur diagnostique.^[4][10]

Noun

1. (dated) A diagnostic sign, a symptom.^[4][7][6]

Word family

• diagnostic

Related words

• diagnostiquer
• gnose
• Ancient Greek διαγνωστικός (diagnōstikós)

Usage notes

The adjective diagnostique and the noun diagnostic are pronounced alike.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)