exponentiel

Forms

exponentiel (feminine exponentielle, masculine plural exponentiels, feminine plural exponentielles)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation, from Latin exponēns (“setting out”), the present participle of expōnō (“to set out, expose”), with the suffix -iel, a by-form of -el.^{[2][3][4][5][1]} The Petit Robert gives the source as the scientific Latin exponentialis, from the participle in the sense “exponent”.^[6] Littré notes that Condillac rejected the word as not French, but defends it as formed like potentiel from potēns.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1711 in the Histoire de l'Académie des sciences, in quantités exponentielles “exponential quantities”.^[2][3][8]

Semantic evolution

A term of mathematics for a quantity whose exponent is variable or unknown, it appears in calcul exponentiel, courbe exponentielle and équation exponentielle in the 1752 supplement of the Trévoux dictionary;^[2][3] fonction exponentielle gave by ellipsis the feminine noun une exponentielle.^[2][3] In the 20th century it came to describe any growth that is rapid and continuous, like the curve of an exponential function.^[3][6] The adverb exponentiellement is first found in 1934, in Marie Curie.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 1711 – Quantités exponentielles in the Histoire de l'Académie des sciences.^[2]
• 1752 – The Trévoux supplement records calcul exponentiel and équation exponentielle.^[2][3]
• 20th century – The general sense “growing rapidly” appears.^[3]
• 1934 – Exponentiellement is first recorded.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (mathematics) Having a variable or unknown exponent: fonction exponentielle, équation exponentielle.^{[6][9][5][2][7]}
2. Growing rapidly and continuously, exponential: croissance exponentielle: Le nombre d'abonnés a connu une hausse exponentielle.^{[6][9][10][5]}

Noun

1. (mathematics) An exponential function: une exponentielle.^[2][6][9][7]

Word family

• exponentiellement

Related words

• exponentiation
• exposant
• exposer
• Latin expōnō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)