Etymologically
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directeur

Etymology and origin of the French word directeur

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1444, Henri de Gauchi
Borrowed from
Latin director
Ultimate origin
Latin (regō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /di.ʁɛk.tœʁ/[1]

Forms

directeur m (plural directeurs, feminine directrice); also an adjective[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin dīrēctor (“guide, director”),[2][3][4][5][1] formed on dīrēctum, the supine of dīrigō (“to direct”) (see diriger),[2][3][6] from dis- and regō (“to guide, rule”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Henri de Gauchi's translation of Giles of Rome's Gouvernement des princes (1444) uses it for a person who directs.[2]

Semantic evolution

Amyot uses it of reason as the guide of generosity.[6] In religion it named a spiritual director, a person's usual confessor (Directeur de sa conscience, Jean-Pierre Camus, 1641, Sarazin, before 1654).[7][2] In geometry directrice (1754) is short for ligne directrice.[2] Under the Constitution of Year III (1795) each of the five members of the Directory was a directeur.[2][4] The adjective, “directing, guiding”, is recorded by Boiste (1808).[2]

Timeline

  • 1444 – “Person who directs”, Henri de Gauchi.[2]
  • 1641 – Directeur de conscience, Jean-Pierre Camus.[7]
  • 1754 – Directrice in geometry.[2]
  • 1795 – Member of the Directory.[2]
  • 1808 – The adjective, Boiste.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A director, manager, the head of a business, service or body: directeur général, directeur commercial, directeur de journal.[8][1]
  2. The head of a school; a headmaster, principal, directrice d'école.[4][1]
  3. Directeur de conscience: a spiritual director.[2][7]
  4. Directeur de thèse: a thesis supervisor.[8]
  5. (history) Each of the five members of the Directory (1795–99).[2][4]
  6. (geometry) Directrice: a directrix.[2]

Adjective

  1. Directing, guiding: comité directeur, idée directrice.[2][8]

Word family

  • sous-directeur
  • codirecteur
  • directorat
  • directorial

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 87a
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Directeur.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/directeur. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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