général
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ʒe.ne.ʁal/[1]
Forms
général m (plural généraux, feminine générale)[1]
Etymology
It is borrowed from Latin generālis (“belonging to a kind; general”), derived from genus (“kind, race”) (see genre).[2][3][4][5][6][1] The Latin adjective was a philosophical term, “relating to a genus or species”, which, opposed to “speciālis”, came to mean “general”, Roman jurists also used it with names of offices.[3][2] “Genus” belongs to the Indo-European family of Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget, be born”) (compare engendrer, gens).[3][1]
The noun, a military commander, is short for “capitaine général” (1507–1508).[2][5][4]
Earliest recorded meaning
It is first found in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire (1121–1134), in the philosophical sense “common to a set of cases or individuals”, as opposed to particular.[2][3]
Semantic evolution
Used as a noun in the early 13th century, it gave en général “from a general point of view” (about 1270), later “usually” (1538).[3][2] By extension (about 1190) it meant “concerning all the members of a whole”, then “shared by most”, as in assemblée générale (1574).[3]
Joined to names of offices it marks the holder of the widest authority: vicaire général (1330), généraux trésoriers (1365), and as a noun, a general of finances (1463).[2][3] The army commander, capitaine général (1507–1508), became général at the end of the 16th century (Monluc), and the head of a religious order is a général from 1611 (Cotgrave).[2][4] Battre la générale, the drum call to arms, is recorded in 1680, and la générale, short for répétition générale, has named the dress rehearsal of a play since the early 20th century.[2][3]
Timeline
- 1121–1134 – General in Philippe de Thaon.[2]
- c. 1270 – En general.[2]
- 1330 – Vicaires generals.[2]
- 1463 – A general of finances, in a letter of Louis XI.[2]
- 1507–1508 – Capitaine general.[2]
- Late 16th century – Général “army commander”, in Monluc.[2]
- 1611 – The head of a religious order, in Cotgrave.[2]
- 1680 – Battre la générale.[2]
Meanings
Adjective
- general, applying to a whole class, as opposed to particular: une idée générale.[7]
- Common to all or most: l'intérêt général, en règle générale, assemblée générale.[7][3]
- Covering the whole of a field: culture générale, médecine générale.[3]
- Highest in rank, with wide authority: directeur général, secrétaire général.[3][2]
- En général: generally, usually; in general terms.[3]
Noun
- A general, an officer of the highest rank, générale, a woman general or a general's wife.[7][1]
- The head of a religious order: le général des Jésuites.[7]
- (feminine) La générale: the drum call to arms; the dress rehearsal of a play.[2][3]
Word family
- généraliser
- généralisation
- généralité
- généralat
- généralement
- généralissime
Related words
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r 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
- ^ 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
- ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
- ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 97a
- ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert