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finaliste

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Etymology and origin of the French word finaliste

finaliste1 adherent of finalism

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1808 Cabanis
Ultimate origin
Latin fīnis
Etymology tree of finaliste1
inherited borrowed derived
Latin fīnis
Catalan fi
French fin
Romanian fin
Italian fine
Italian fino
Spanish fin
Latin fīnālis
Italian finale
English finale
German Finale
Old French final
English final
French finaliste
From the same root · finaliste1
Latin affīnis ← fīnis
Latin cōnfīnis ← fīnis
Latin fīniō ← fīnis
Latin fīnitimus ← fīnis
Latin fīnus ← fīnis
Latin īnfīnitās ← fīnis
French enfin ← fin
Italian affinché ← fine
Italian finché ← fino
Italian finora ← fino
Italian perfino ← fino
Spanish fino ← fin
Latin fīnāliter ← fīnālis
Spanish finalmente ← fīnālis
Italian finalmente ← finale
English finalize ← final
English finally ← final
English finalist ← final

Pronunciation

  • /fi.na.list/[1]

Forms

finaliste (adjective and noun, plural finalistes)[2]

Etymology

The word for an adherent of finalism is formed from French final + -iste, the adjective being taken in its philosophical sense “tending toward an end”.[3][2][4] The DHLF draws it from the phrase cause finale, from which Voltaire had made cause-finalier (1764).[5][2] Bloch and Wartburg also give cause-finaliste (1829, Boiste).[6][4] The adjective is from Late Latin fīnālis, from fīnis (“end”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is a noun in Cabanis (1808): les finalistes, the partisans of final causes.[3][5] The Grand Robert dates it to 1827, the Petit Robert to 1824.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The adjective follows in 1819 (Boiste, according to the TLFi; 1919 according to the DHLF), qualifying theories that explain things by final causes.[3][5] Finalisme, the name of the doctrine, came later (1890, Renan).[5]

Timeline

  • 1764 – Voltaire uses cause-finalier.[2][5]
  • 1808 – Cabanis uses the noun finaliste.[3][5]
  • 1819 – Boiste records the adjective.[3]
  • 1827 – The Académie records the word.[4]
  • 1890 – Renan uses finalisme.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (philosophy) A partisan of finalism, one who believes in final causes as an explanation of the universe.[3][8][2]

Adjective

  1. (philosophy) Admitting the principles of finalism: théorie finaliste, philosophie finaliste.[3][4][7]

Word family

  • finalisme

finaliste2 finalist

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1924 Petiot
Ultimate origin
Latin fīnis

Pronunciation

  • /fi.na.list/[1]

Forms

finaliste m or f by sense (plural finalistes)[1]

Etymology

The word for a finalist is formed from French finale + -iste, the noun being taken in the sense “final match”.[2][7][4][5] Larousse gives it as from English finalist.[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Grand Robert and the DHLF date it to 1924, in Petiot, of a person who plays in a final.[2][5] The BHVF cites it from Tennis et golf in 1933.[10]

Semantic evolution

It came after finale “final match” and demi-finale (1898), and was used of competitors and teams qualified for a final.[5][4] Le Robert also uses it as an adjective: l'équipe finaliste.[11]

Timeline

  • 1898 – Demi-finale is recorded.[5]
  • 1924 – Finaliste is used in sports.[2][5][7]
  • 1933 – Tennis et golf uses it.[10]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (sports) A finalist, a competitor or team qualified for a finale: Il a été trois fois finaliste de la coupe.[7][2][9]
  2. Also used as an adjective: l'équipe finaliste.[11][9]
  • final
  • finale
  • finalité
  • demi-finale
  • Latin fīnis

Usage notes

The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert number the words as 1 finaliste (philosophy) and 2 finaliste (sports); the DHLF numbers them the other way round.[2][7][5]

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  11. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Finaliste.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/finaliste. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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