dominer

Forms

dominer^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dominor (“to be master, to rule”),^[2][3][4][5] a verb formed from dominus (“master”).^[3][5][6] Rey counts it among the very old borrowings from Latin, taken over in the late 10th century.^[3] The same Latin family gave domination (12th century) and dominateur (13th century), likewise borrowed.^[5] Littré refers to dom.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Vie de saint Léger (second half of the 10th century), in the phrase son regret ben dominat, meaning “to govern, exercise authority over” something.^[2] Rey describes the first construction as transitive and figurative, “to master, overcome”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The French verb kept the Latin idea of being master, at first in the transitive figurative sense “to master, get the better of”.^[3] The Anglo-Norman texts from the mid-12th century use it for mastering and subduing, for prevailing and for ruling over.^[8] From the middle of the 16th century it was also used intransitively with dans and sur, meaning “to reign” and, by extension, “to prevail” and “to be the most prominent”.^[3]

The physical sense “to stand higher than what surrounds it” is recorded by Richelet in 1680 (lieu dominant);^[2] today this spatial sense belongs to the transitive construction.^[3] The Grand Larousse dates the sense “to sway someone by one's influence” to Rousseau (1762).^[9] The present participle dominant became an adjective about 1282, and its feminine dominante a noun in 1732, used especially in music.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 980 – First record, in the Vie de saint Léger.^[2][3]
• c. 1136–1165 – Earliest Anglo-Norman record, for mastering and ruling.^[8]
• c. 1282 – The participle dominant is used as an adjective.^[3]
• c. 1450 – Regent domynant appears in the Mistère du Vieil Testament.^[2]
• mid-16th century – Intransitive use with dans and sur begins.^[3]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses the compound prédominer.^[5]
• 1680 – Richelet records the sense “to overlook from a height”.^[2][3]
• 1732 – Dominante becomes a noun.^[3]
• 1762 – Rousseau uses it for holding sway over a person.^[9]

Meanings

Verb

1. (intransitive, literary) To rule, hold supreme power; often dominer sur.^[10][7]
2. (intransitive) To prevail; to be the most prominent or numerous among several elements.^[10][7]
3. (transitive) To hold under one's power; to get the better of an opponent.^[10][1]
4. (transitive, figurative) To have a decisive influence on; to master one's feelings.^[10]
5. (transitive) To rise above, overlook from a height.^[2][7][1]
6. (transitive) To know a subject thoroughly.^[1]
7. Se dominer: to keep control of oneself.^[1][10]

Word family

• dominance
• dominant
• dominante
• prédominer

Related words

• Latin dominus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 127b
5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert