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embryonnaire

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Etymology and origin of the French word embryonnaire

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1834 Jourdan's dictionary of the natural sciences More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ἔμβρυον

Pronunciation

  • /ɑ̃.bʁi.jɔ.nɛʁ/[1]

Forms

embryonnaire (plural embryonnaires)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French embryon + -aire.[2][1][3][4] The noun came through Middle French embrion and Medieval Latin embryon from Ancient Greek ἔμβρυον (émbruon, “fetus”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1834, in Jourdan's dictionary of the terms of the natural sciences, meaning “relating to the embryo”.[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

The figurative sense “in germ, still rudimentary” appears in Baudelaire's translations of Poe, in 1856 according to the TLFi and 1855 according to Rey and the GLLF.[2][4][6] The Académie recorded the word in 1842.[6] In biology it forms many terms, such as sac embryonnaire and cellule embryonnaire.[5][7]

Timeline

  • 1834 – First record, in Jourdan's dictionary of the natural sciences.[2]
  • 1842 – The Académie records it.[6]
  • 1855 – Figurative use in Baudelaire (1856 in the TLFi).[4][6][2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Relating to the embryo, as in le développement embryonnaire.[5][7][2]
  2. (figurative) In germ, still rudimentary: un projet encore embryonnaire.[5][7]
  3. Cellule embryonnaire: a cell of an animal or plant embryo, able to multiply quickly.[7]
  4. Sac embryonnaire: in seed plants, the tiny gametophyte in the ovule.[7][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Embryonnaire.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/embryonnaire. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·