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endogène

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Etymology and origin of the French word endogène

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
1813 de Candolle More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ἔνδον,-γενής

Pronunciation

  • /ɑ̃.dɔ.ʒɛn/[1]

Forms

endogène (plural endogènes)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French endo- + -gène.[2][3][4][5] The first element is from Ancient Greek ἔνδον (éndon, “within”),[5][6] and the second from -γενής (-genḗs, “born”);[6] the GLLF relates it to γεννάω (gennáō, “to beget”).[7] Wiktionary instead treats the word as a learned borrowing of ἐνδογενής (endogenḗs).[1] The English word endogenous is recorded from 1845.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Candolle used it in 1813 in végétaux endogènes, plants supposed to grow from within, the monocotyledons.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Nineteenth-century dictionaries record végétaux endogènes, or simply les endogènes, as a synonym of monocotyledons, whose stems were thought to grow from inside, the young parts pushing the older ones outwards.[2] Littré added the geological sense in 1864, and the GLLF dates the physiological sense to the same year.[6][7] The general sense “that comes from within, has an internal cause” spread to biology, geology, economics, medicine and psychiatry, as in dépression endogène.[5][2] Its opposite is exogène.[4]

Timeline

  • 1813 – De Candolle writes of végétaux endogènes.[2][7]
  • 1845 – The English endogenous is recorded.[5]
  • 1864 – Littré records the geological and physiological senses.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Coming from within; having an internal cause.[2][4]
  2. (biology, medicine) Produced by the organism itself, or having its source in it: intoxication endogène.[2][4][7]
  3. (biology) Developing inside an organism or organ: spore endogène.[2]
  4. (botany) Of organs formed from cells deep within the tissues.[7][4]
  5. (geology) Roche endogène: a rock whose matter comes from the depths of the Earth's crust.[7][4][6]
  6. (economics) Arising within the economic system itself.[2]
  • exogène
  • endo-

References

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

“Endogène.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/endog%C3%A8ne. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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