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divergence

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Etymology and origin of the French word divergence

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1671 Père Chérubin, La Dioptrique oculaire More words from the 17th century
Borrowed from
Latin divergentia
Ultimate origin
Latin vergō

Pronunciation

  • /di.vɛʁ.ʒɑ̃s/[1]

Forms

divergence f (plural divergences)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from New Latin divergentia, a term of physics that Kepler used in 1611.[2][3][4] The scientific Latin word was made on the present participle of Late Latin dīvergō (“to incline”), itself formed with dis- on vergō (“to turn, incline”).[3][4] The Robert dictionaries date the French word to 1626, the GLLF to the early 17th century.[5][6][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is in physics, la divergence des rayons “the divergence of rays”, in Father Chérubin's La Dioptrique oculaire (1671).[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Like divergent, the word passed from optics and geometry into botany and mathematics.[3][7] The figurative sense “difference or opposition of views or interests” appears in 1801, in Crèvecœur's divergence des intérêts;[2][3] the GLLF dates the sense “difference of opinion” from Littré (1864) and “opposition” from Proudhon (before 1865).[4] In 1959 nuclear physics took it up for the start of a chain reaction in a reactor.[2][3] It is paired with its opposite, convergence.[3][2]

Timeline

  • 1671 – La divergence des rayons in Father Chérubin's work on optics.[2][3]
  • 1801 – Crèvecœur writes of divergence des intérêts.[2][3]
  • 1864 – Littré records the sense “difference of opinions”.[4][7]
  • 1932 – The Académie gives the example of two diverging railway lines.[2]
  • 1959 – First record in nuclear physics.[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The state of lines, rays or the like that move apart from a common point.[2][8][6]
  2. (optics) The divergence of a lens or optical system.[6]
  3. (figurative) A difference or disagreement between opinions, views or interests: divergence de vues, Il reste des divergences entre les deux partis.[6][9][8][2]
  4. (mathematics) The property of a divergent series or sequence.[6][8]
  5. (nuclear physics) The establishment of a chain reaction in a nuclear reactor: entrer en divergence.[2][6][4]
  6. (geography) The outward spreading of an air flow or an ocean current.[8]
  7. (ophthalmology) Divergent strabismus.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b 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 g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Divergence.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/divergence. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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