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gastéropode

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Etymology and origin of the French word gastéropode

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
1795 Cuvier, Magasin encyclopédique More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek γαστήρ,πούς

Pronunciation

  • /ɡas.te.ʁɔ.pɔd/[1]

Forms

gastéropode m (plural gastéropodes)[1] Also gastropode, recorded from 1872 (Larousse).[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from French gastéro- + -pode.[3][5][2] The parts go back to Ancient Greek γαστήρ (gastḗr, “belly, stomach”) and πούς (poús, “foot”),[1][2] so that the name means animals that walk on their belly.[6][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1795, in Cuvier's contribution to the Magasin encyclopédique, for a class of molluscs that creep on their belly.[3][2][6]

Semantic evolution

Used mostly in the plural for the class, the word names molluscs such as snails and slugs, which move on a broad, muscular foot under the body.[6][3] The Académie gave snails and slugs as examples from 1878 to 1932.[3] The shorter form gastropode entered the Larousse in 1872.[2]

Timeline

  • 1795 – Cuvier uses gastéropode in the Magasin encyclopédique.[3][2]
  • 1872 – The variant gastropode is recorded by Larousse.[2]
  • 1878 – The Académie gives snails and slugs as examples of gastropods.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (zoology) A gastropod: a mollusc that creeps on a broad flat foot, with a distinct head bearing tentacles and usually a single spiral shell, such as the snail or the slug.[3][4][2]
  2. Les gastéropodes: the class of these molluscs.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  5. ^ a b Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
  6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Gastéropode.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/gast%C3%A9ropode. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·