distributeur

Forms

distributeur m (plural distributeurs, feminine distributrice)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin distribūtor (“one who distributes”),^[2][3][1] an agent noun formed on the supine Latin distribūtum of distribuō (“to divide, deal out”).^[4][5][3] It belongs with distribuer and distribution, borrowed from the same Latin verb and its noun in the 13th century.^[6]

Littré compares Old Occitan distribuidor, Spanish distribuidor and Italian distributore.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Oresme about 1361:^[5][4] Dieu, qui est roy des roys et distributeur des royaumes (“God, who is king of kings and distributor of kingdoms”).^[7] The TLFi's first example is from an account of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois in 1372.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In the 15th century Christine de Pizan has the form distribueur, and in the 16th Amyot speaks of a distributeur des chairs, who shared out meat as part of the supplies.^[7] Later it named the official who ran a small post office in a commune, and the woman who sold refreshments at the Comédie-Française was called a distributrice.^[7][2]

As a masculine noun for a device that distributes something it is recorded in 1870 by Larousse; the mechanical sense dates from the early 20th century.^[5][8] Rey notes that the word designates and qualifies a person, an object or a machine that distributes.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1361 – Oresme uses it of God, the distributor of kingdoms.^[5][7]
• 1372 – It appears in an account of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois.^[2]
• 15th century – Christine de Pizan writes distribueur.^[7]
• 16th century – Amyot writes of a distributeur des chairs.^[7]
• 1870 – Larousse records it for a device.^[5]
• Early 20th century – It is used for a mechanical part.^[5][8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A person who distributes something: distributeur de films, a film distributor.^[9][2]
2. A trader in charge of distributing a product, a dealer or wholesaler.^[9]
3. A device for dispensing something, a dispenser: un distributeur de savon.^[9][1]
4. (automotive) The ignition distributor of an engine.^[9]
5. Distributeur automatique: a vending machine.^[5][1]
6. Distributeur de billets: a cash machine, an ATM.^[1]

Adjective

1. That distributes something.^[5][3]

Related words

• distribuer
• distribution
• distributif
• Latin distribūtor

Usage notes

Quebec French also uses the phrase machine distributrice for a vending machine.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ 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
6. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
7. ^ a b c d e f g Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert