féministe

Forms

féministe (plural féministes)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned formation from Latin fēmina (“woman”), with the suffix -iste.^[2][3] The Robert dictionaries and the GLLF derive it from féminisme,^[4][5][6] which Fourier had formed on the same Latin stem in 1837.^[7] Wiktionary analyses it as féminin with the same suffix.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bloch and Wartburg date it to 1872, in Alexandre Dumas fils;^[3][2] the TLFi's own first quotation is from Mallarmé (1898).^[2]

Semantic evolution

It first described what related to féminisme, the doctrine of widening the role of women in society, and by 1907, when Larousse records it, a supporter of that doctrine, as an adjective and a noun.^[6][7] It prevailed over femmiste, formed on femme at the end of the 19th century;^[7] Mallarmé used femmiste in a light verse of the same period.^[8] Like féminisme, it came into wide use from the 1960s.^[7]

English borrowed it as feminist in 1892.^[9]

Timeline

• 1837 – Fourier forms féminisme.^[7]
• 1872 – Alexandre Dumas fils uses féministe.^[3][2]
• 1892 – English borrows it as feminist.^[9]
• 1898 – Mallarmé's use, the TLFi's first quotation.^[2]
• 1907 – Larousse records it as an adjective and noun for a supporter of feminism.^[6]
• 1960s – The word comes into wide use.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to feminism, feminist: un collectif féministe.^[2][5][10]
2. Supporting feminism.^[2][5]

Noun

1. A feminist, a supporter of feminism: un, une féministe.^[5][11][10]

Related words

• féminisme
• féminin
• femme
• Latin fēmina
• English feminist

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)