Etymologically
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gouvernement

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɡu.vɛʁ.nə.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

gouvernement m (plural gouvernements)[1]

Etymology

It is from French gouverner (“to steer, govern”) + -ment.[2][3][4][1] Medieval Latin had “gubernamen” (11th century).[2] The verb is inherited from Latin gubernō (“to steer a ship; to govern”), from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō), already used figuratively in Latin.[4]

Compare Old Occitan governament, Spanish gobernamiento and Italian governamento.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Sermons of Saint Bernard (end of the 12th century) have governement, the action or way of directing something or someone, there God's ruling of the world.[2][6] Anglo-Norman had governement by about 1170.[7]

Semantic evolution

Brunetto Latini (about 1265) uses it for the exercise of political power over a people.[2] In the 15th century it named the territory under a governor (1462) and the office of governor (1461–66), and by 1463 rules and institutions.[2] Montaigne (1588) means the political system by which a state is ruled.[2] Montesquieu (1748) uses it for the power that directs the State, Rousseau (1762) for the supreme executive, and Zola (1887) for the ministers responsible to parliament, the main modern sense.[2] The old general sense of managing a household or goods is now dated.[8]

Timeline

  • late 12th century – Governement, Sermons de saint Bernard.[2]
  • c. 1265 – Political rule, Brunetto Latini.[2]
  • 1462 – A governor's province.[2]
  • 1588 – A form of government, Montaigne.[2]
  • 1748 – The power that directs the State, Montesquieu.[2]
  • 1762 – The executive power, Rousseau.[2]
  • 1801 – Gouvernemental.[4]
  • 1887 – The cabinet responsible to parliament, Zola.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (dated) The management or direction of something: le gouvernement d'une maison.[8]
  2. (literary) The exercise of political power, rule.[8]
  3. A form or system of government: gouvernement démocratique, gouvernement parlementaire.[6][9]
  4. The government, the body that runs the State; in France the prime minister and ministers: former un gouvernement, chef du gouvernement.[9][2]
  5. (historical) A province ruled by a governor; the office of governor.[2]

Word family

  • gouvernemental
  • gouvernementiste
  • gouverner
  • gouverneur
  • gouvernail
  • gouvernante
  • Latin gubernō

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 l m n o p 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)