généalogique

Forms

généalogique (plural généalogiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French généalogie + -ique.^[2][3][1] The noun généalogie, recorded from the end of the 12th century, is from Late Latin genealogia, a word of Greek origin.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1480, in the Baratre infernal, a manuscript of the Rouen library noted by Delboulle, in the sense “relating to genealogy”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The adjective has kept its first sense, “relating to a family's genealogy”.^[5][6] From 1671 it is used in arbre généalogique, a family tree, and in 1810 Madame de Staël speaks of the arbre généalogique des connaissances humaines, Francis Bacon's classification of the sciences.^[5][6][2] In the 20th century the image was applied to the classification of living beings.^[6][2] The adverb généalogiquement is recorded in 1845.^[5][7]

Timeline

• 1480 – Généalogique appears in the Baratre infernal.^[2]
• 1654 – Généalogiste is found in Cyrano de Bergerac.^[5]
• 1671 – Pomey records arbre généalogique.^[6][5]
• 1810 – Madame de Staël uses arbre généalogique for Bacon's classification of the sciences.^[2][5]
• 1845 – The adverb généalogiquement is recorded.^[5][7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to genealogy, the line of descent of a family, as in de longues recherches généalogiques.^[7][2][8]
2. Arbre généalogique: a family tree, a chart showing a family's descent in the form of a tree, the trunk being the direct line and the branches the collateral lines.^[6][2][8]
3. Arbre généalogique des sciences: a classification of human knowledge by derivation, as in Bacon's system.^[8][2]
4. (biology) Of the evolution of species shown as a tree.^[2][6]
5. Livres généalogiques: stud books and herd books recording the descent of pure-bred animals.^[7]

Word family

• généalogiquement

Related words

• généalogie
• généalogiste

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette