généralisation

Forms

généralisation f (plural généralisations)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French généraliser + -ation.^[2][3][4][1] The verb généraliser comes from général, which is from Latin generālis (“belonging to a kind, general”), from genus (“kind, race”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is in d'Alembert's Mélanges de littérature (1773), in the sense of an act of generalizing.^[2] The Robert dictionaries and the GLLF date d'Alembert's use to about 1760, and Bloch and Wartburg give 1778.^[3][6][5]

Semantic evolution

It names both the act of extending something to most cases or people, and the result: the spread of a measure, a method or a conflict.^[2][6] The abstract sense, the mental operation that extends to a whole class what was seen in a limited number of cases, is dated 1845 by the DHLF and the GLLF (Bescherelle), with a use in formal logic from 1872.^[4][6]

In medicine it has been used since 1877 for the spread of a disease or tumour from one part to the whole body.^[6][7] Littré already defined this as the state of a disease that turns from local to general.^[7]

Timeline

• 1773 – First recorded in d'Alembert.^[2][8]
• 1778 – Bloch and Wartburg's date for the word.^[5]
• 1845 – Bescherelle records the sense of an intellectual operation.^[6][4]
• 1872 – Used in formal logic.^[6]
• 1877 – Used in medicine for the spread of a disease to the whole body.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. The act of making something general or of becoming general, extension: la généralisation d'une réforme.^[9][10][2]
2. (medicine) The spread of a disease, especially a cancer, through the body by metastases.^[9][6]
3. A mental operation that extends to a whole class the features observed in a limited number of cases (induction), and its result: une généralisation hâtive.^[9][10][11]
4. (logic) The operation of quantification.^[10][6]

Related words

• généraliser
• général
• généralité
• généralisable
• généralisateur

References

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