idiotie

Forms

idiotie f (plural idioties)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French idiot + -ie.^[2][3][1] It replaced the medical term idiotisme, which clashed with its homonym meaning “idiom”.^[2][3][4][5] The base idiot is from Latin idiōta, from Ancient Greek ἰδιώτης (idiṓtēs, “private person, layman”).^[6][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi and Rey date it to 1818, as a medical term in Loiseleur-Deslongchamps's article in the Dictionnaire des sciences médicales.^[2][4] Bloch and Wartburg say that Esquirol chose it in 1836 to take the place of idiotisme, usual in this sense in the 17th and 18th centuries;^[6] the GLLF and Quemada's datings give 1836, Raymond.^[5][7]

Semantic evolution

From the medical name of the severest degree of mental deficiency, the word passed into everyday use for a lack of intelligence or good sense (1893, in the Dictionnaire général).^[4][5] By metonymy, from the early 20th century, une idiotie is a stupid act or remark, and familiarly a stupid work.^[4][5][8]

Timeline

• 1818 – First recorded in medicine.^[2][4]
• 1836 – Raymond records it;^[5][6] Bloch and Wartburg credit Esquirol with the choice of the word.^[5][6]
• 1893 – The Dictionnaire général has the sense “lack of intelligence”.^[5][4]
• early 20th century – Une idiotie comes to mean a stupid act or remark.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (medicine, dated) The most severe form of mental retardation.^[8][2]
2. A lack of intelligence or good sense, stupidity: l'idiotie de ce règlement.^[8][9][10]
3. Une idiotie: a stupid act or remark, nonsense, and familiarly a stupid book or film: arrête de dire des idioties.^[8][10][1]

Related words

• idiot
• idiotisme

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)