homosexuel

Forms

homosexuel (feminine homosexuelle, masculine plural homosexuels, feminine plural homosexuelles)^[1]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from German homosexual (now homosexuell),^[2][1] recorded in German from 1869 in an anonymous text attributed to Kertbeny, the pseudonym of Benkert.^[2] The German word is a compound of the element homo-, from Ancient Greek ὁμός (homós, “same”), and sexual.^[2][3] The Grand Robert analyses the French word as homo- and sexuel, perhaps after the German,^[4] and Rey allows that it may follow English homosexual as well.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1891, in an article by Dr Chatelain in the Annales médico-psychologiques, for a person attracted to people of the same sex.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The word began as a medical term; the adjective is found from 1894, in an article by Raffalovitch in the Archives de l'anthropologie criminelle.^[6][5] Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF date it only from the Larousse of 1907.^[3][7]

It is used mostly of men and has the familiar short form homo, but gay tends to replace it.^[5] Both homosexuel and homosexuelle have partly lost their pejorative connotations.^[5] The TLFi notes that it is most often used with a pejorative nuance tied to social and moral norms.^[2]

Timeline

• 1869 – German homosexual is recorded.^[2]
• 1891 – First French record, in the Annales médico-psychologiques.^[2]
• 1894 – First use as an adjective.^[6][5]
• 1907 – The Larousse records it.^[3][7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Sexually attracted to people of one's own sexe; homosexual.^[2][8][1]
2. Relating to homosexuality or to homosexual people.^[7]

Noun

1. A homosexual person;^[8][2] une homosexuelle is also called a lesbienne.^[8][2]

Related words

• homo
• hétérosexuel
• sexuel
• English homosexual

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
7. ^ a b c 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