extinction

Forms

extinction f (plural extinctions)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin exstinctiō (“extinction, end, in Late Latin putting out of a fire”), a learned borrowing formed on the supine exstinctum of exstinguō (“to put out”).^{[2][3][4][5][6][1]} A popular altered form of the Latin verb gave éteindre.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1374, in J. Goulain's translation of G. Durant's Rationale: l'extinction des cierges, the putting out of the candles.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word was first concrete, the putting out of a light or fire.^[3] In the 17th century it took the figurative sense “loss of existence or of effectiveness” (1680), notably in extinction de voix “loss of voice” (1692), and in law the ending of a right (1690, Furetière).^[3][7] Mme de Sévigné used it in 1686 for a state of coma, a sense that has gone out of use.^[3][7] It is now also said of the dying out of a family or of an animal or plant species.^[8][9]

Timeline

• 1374 – L'extinction des cierges in Goulain's translation of the Rationale.^[2]
• 1488 – The Mer des histoires, the date Bloch and Wartburg and the Grand Robert give.^[7][5][4]
• 1680 – Richelet records the figurative sense.^[7][3]
• 1686 – Mme de Sévigné uses it for a coma.^[3][7]
• 1690 – Furetière records the extinction of a right.^[3][7]
• 1692 – Extinction de voix in Bouhours.^[7][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. The act of putting out a fire or a light: l'extinction d'un feu de forêt.^[8][7][9] Extinction des feux: lights out, the time when all lights must be put out, as in barracks.^[8][7]
2. Dying out, loss of existence or strength: l'extinction d'une dynastie, une espèce en voie d'extinction.^[8][9]
3. Extinction de voix: loss of voice, aphonia.^[8][3]
4. (law) The ending of a right, privilege or obligation.^[8][3]
5. (astronautics) The stopping of combustion in a rocket engine.^[9]

Related words

• extincteur
• éteindre
• Latin exstinctiō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 320a
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)