habitant

Forms

habitant m (plural habitants, feminine habitante)^[1] Beaumanoir writes abitants in the 13th century.^[2]

Etymology

It is the present participle from French habiter, used as a noun,^[3][4][5] the verb being from Latin habitō (“to dwell, reside”), a frequentative of habeō (“to have, hold”).^[3][6] The GLLF takes it instead from Latin habitāns, the Latin participle used as a noun.^[7] It replaced Old French habiteur (about 1120), which had been the more usual word.^[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is in the first quarter of the 13th century, in the Charité of the Reclus de Molliens, for one who lives in a place;^[3] the GLLF and the Grand Robert date it to the late 12th century.^[7][4]

Semantic evolution

The word means any living being that lives in a place, and in particular a person.^[5][8] From the classical period it formed poetic periphrases: les habitants de l'Olympe “the gods” (Racine, 1677), les habitants de l'air “birds” (Boileau, 1677), and les habitants de l'onde “fish”.^[5][7] Jokingly, avoir des habitants meant to have lice or fleas (1897, Jules Renard).^[5][7]

In 1654 it named a settler to whom the king granted land in a colony,^[5][7] and in Canada from 1675 a person who farms the land.^[5] Now dated in the sense “farmer”, it is still used in Quebec figuratively for an uncouth person, and as an adjective.^[5][1] Littré records it for the owner of an estate in the West Indies,^[2] and in Louisiana it means a farmer.^[1]

Timeline

• 1200-1225 – First record, in the Reclus de Molliens.^[3]
• 1654 – It names a settler granted land in a colony.^[5][7]
• 1675 – In Canada it means a farmer.^[5]
• 1677 – Racine writes les habitants de l'Olympe and Boileau les habitants de l'air.^[5][7]
• 1897 – Jules Renard uses avoir des habitants for having lice.^[5][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (often plural) A living being that peoples a place: les habitants de la forêt.^[8][9]
2. An inhabitant, a person who lives habitually in a given place: un bourg de deux mille habitants.^[8][9][10]
3. Chez l'habitant: in the home of local people, as a lodger.^[9]
4. An occupant of a house or building.^[9]
5. (Canada) A farmer, a peasant;^[9][5][1] (Quebec, derogatory) a boor.^[9][5][1]
6. (Louisiana) A farmer.^[1]

Related words

• habiter
• habitation
• habitat
• Latin habitō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d e f Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)