Etymologically
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escouade

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 22:01. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛs.kwad/[1]

Forms

escouade f (plural escouades)[1] Escoydre (late 15th century), escoadre (1506), esquade (1553), escouade (about 1570).[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian squadra, adapted a second time (see escadre),[2][5][6][7] which stayed in the land army while “escadre” specialised in the navy.[2][8] The TLFi thinks recourse to Spanish escuadra, proposed by Bloch and Wartburg, unnecessary.[2] Littré notes that “escouade” was once used for a fleet and “esquadre” for a troop, proof that they are one word.[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

Jean Molinet's Chroniques (late 15th century) have escoydre for a subdivision of a body of troops.[2]

Semantic evolution

Carloix (about 1570) wrote of each captain sending une escouade de leurs compaignies.[9][2] It was long a fraction of an infantry section or a cavalry platoon under a corporal or brigadier (still in 1914–1918), and by extension, from Balzac (1843), a small group of people gathered round someone (une escouade de petits abbés, Hugo).[10][3][4]

Timeline

  • Late 15th century – Escoydre in Molinet.[2]
  • 1506 – Escoadre.[2]
  • 1553 – Esquade.[10]
  • c. 1570 – Escouade in Carloix.[2]
  • 1843 – A small group, in Balzac.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (dated, military) A squad (of infantry or cavalry under a corporal).[10][6]
  2. A small group, team: une escouade de balayeurs.[6][10]
  • escadre
  • escadron
  • équerre
  • carré

References

  1. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1397a
  8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  9. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  10. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert