fédéraliste

Forms

fédéraliste m or f by sense (plural fédéralistes)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French fédéral + -iste.^[2][1][3][4] Littré derived it instead from the verb fédéraliser.^[5] The adjective is built on the stem of Latin foedus (“treaty of alliance”) with the suffix -al.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1792, in the Moniteur, in the political vocabulary of the Revolution.^[2] The Robert dictionaries and the GLLF date it to 1793; the GLLF cites the Journal de la Montagne, with both the adjective and the noun.^[3][4][6]

Semantic evolution

During the Revolution the word was applied to those who wanted France decentralised, and it often appears beside royaliste in lists of the regime's enemies.^[2][6] It then came to mean, in general, favourable to federalism or a supporter of it, as in Barrès's parti fédéraliste.^[2][4] The Petit Robert notes its use especially in Switzerland, Belgium and Canada.^[4] By analogy it is also used of federalism in economics (1964).^[2]

English federalist is older: Etymonline dates it to 1787 in American English, formed from federal.^[7]

Timeline

• 1783 – The base fédéral is recorded.^[2][8]
• 1792 – Fédéraliste appears in the Moniteur.^[2]
• 1793 – The Journal de la Montagne uses it as adjective and noun.^[6]
• 1906 – Barrès writes of a parti fédéraliste.^[2]
• 1964 – Perroux applies it to an economic doctrine.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. federalist: relating to or favouring federalism.^[2][4][9]
2. (history) Favouring the decentralisation of France during the French Revolution.^[2]
3. (economics) Favouring an economic federalism.^[2]

Noun

1. A supporter of federalism.^{[2][4][9][10]}
2. (history) A supporter of decentralisation during the French Revolution.^[2]

Related words

• fédéral
• fédéralisme
• fédéraliser
• English federalist

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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 d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)