Etymologically
Log in

hydrogène

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the French word hydrogène

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound, Coinage
First attested
1787 Méthode de nomenclature chimique More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ὕδωρ,γεννάω
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French hydrogène
English hydrogen

Pronunciation

  • /i.dʁɔ.ʒɛn/[1]

Forms

hydrogène m (plural hydrogènes)[1]

Etymology

It was coined in 1787 by Guyton de Morveau, Lavoisier, Berthollet and Fourcroy, formed from French hydro- + -gène, literally meaning that it produces water.[2][3][4][5] hydro- is from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”),[3][4] and -gène goes back to γεννάω (gennáō, “to beget, produce”).[6] Rey compares it with oxygène, named in the same period for a similar property.[3]

The English word hydrogen, recorded from 1791, is borrowed from the French word.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in 1787 in the Méthode de nomenclature chimique of Guyton de Morveau, Lavoisier, Berthollet and Fourcroy,[2] first as an adjective meaning “that generates water”.[6]

Semantic evolution

The literal sense “that produces water” soon ceased to be felt, and the word came to name the chemical element itself, a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that is part of water; the GLLF dates the noun in this sense from the early 19th century.[3][6] Hydrogène sulfuré is recorded in Littré (1866), hydrogène lourd “deuterium” in the 20th century, and bombe à hydrogène about 1950.[6] The verb hydrogéner (1804, with the participle hydrogéné from 1802) and hydrogénation (1814) were derived from it.[3]

Timeline

  • 1787 – Coined in the Méthode de nomenclature chimique.[2][3]
  • 1791 – English borrows it as hydrogene.[7]
  • 1802 – The participle hydrogéné is recorded.[3]
  • Early 19th century – Used as a noun in the modern sense.[6]
  • 1814 – Hydrogénation is recorded.[3]
  • 1866 – Littré records hydrogène sulfuré.[6]
  • c. 1950 – Bombe à hydrogène appears.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Hydrogen, the lightest chemical element (symbol H, atomic number 1), a colourless, odourless, flammable gas that is part of water.[8][9][1]
  2. Hydrogène lourd: heavy hydrogen, deuterium.[8][9][6]
  3. Hydrogène sulfuré: hydrogen sulfide.[9][6]
  4. Bombe à hydrogène (or bombe H): the hydrogen bomb.[8][9]

Word family

  • hydrogéner
  • hydrogénation

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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 d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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 Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Hydrogène.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/hydrog%C3%A8ne. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·