dissipation

Forms

dissipation f (plural dissipations)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dissipātiō (“dispersal, destruction, squandering”),^[2][3][4] formed on dissipātum, the supine of dissipō (“to scatter”).^[5][4][3] The Petit Robert and Wiktionary present it instead as a derivative of the French verb dissiper.^[6][1]

Cognate with Italian dissipazione.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1419, in a royal ordinance, in the sense “destruction, annihilation”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The noun followed the development of the verb dissiper.^[3] From the material sense of scattering or destroying things it came to mean reckless spending (before 1654, Guez de Balzac),^[2][3][4] and then a slackening of attention or restraint (1675, Madame de Maintenon).^[2][3] Furetière in 1690 has the sense of evaporation or gradual disappearance, now used mainly of mist and fog.^[4]

The moral sense of a life given over to pleasure and amusement developed from the idea of distraction; it is now literary or dated.^[2][6] In modern science dissipation d'énergie is the loss of a system's energy as heat.^[6][2]

Timeline

• 1419 – First recorded, meaning “destruction”.^[2]
• 16th century – Montaigne writes of the ruyne et dissipation des choses.^[7]
• Before 1654 – Guez de Balzac uses it for squandering.^[2][4]
• 1675 – Madame de Maintenon uses it for a slackening of application.^[2][4]
• 1680 – Madame de Sévigné uses it for distraction and amusement.^[4]
• 1690 – Furetière records the sense of gradual disappearance.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. The gradual disappearance or dispersal of something: la dissipation des nuages.^[6][2]
2. Reckless spending, squandering: la dissipation d'un héritage.^[6][2]
3. (physics) The loss of a system's energy as heat: dissipation d'énergie, dissipation thermique.^[6]
4. Lack of concentration, distraction; by extension, a pupil's unruly behaviour in class.^[6]
5. (literary) Dissipation, debauchery, a life given over to pleasure.^[6][2]
6. (dated) Recreation, diversion.^[2][7]

Related words

• dissiper
• dissipateur
• dissipatif
• Latin dissipātiō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette