immersion

Forms

immersion f (plural immersions)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin immersiō (“a dipping in”), formed on immersum, the supine of immergō (“to plunge in”).^[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary calls the Latin noun Late Latin, and the GLLF dates it to the Imperial period.^[1][6] The verb immerger comes from the same Latin verb.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1374, in Jean Goulain's French translation of the Rationale of Guillaume Durand, for the act of plunging something into a liquid.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word has meant both the act of immersing and the state of being immersed, literally and figuratively, since its first use.^[3] Littré gives triple immersion in early Christian baptism as an example of the first sense, and also uses it of land covered by floodwater (recorded in 1867).^[7][6]

In astronomy it has meant from 1691 the start of an eclipse, when a body enters the shadow of another.^[3][6] Optics adopted point d'immersion (1812 in Mozin, 1865 by the DHLF's dating) and, in 1902, objectif à immersion, a microscope lens used through a drop of liquid.^[6][3][8]

Timeline

• 1374 – First recorded, in Jean Goulain's translation of Durand.^[2][3]
• 1690 – The adjective immersif is formed.^[3]
• 1691 – Ozanam uses it in astronomy for the start of an eclipse.^[6][3]
• 1812 – Mozin records point d'immersion.^[6]
• 1867 – Littré records the flooding of land as immersion des terres.^[6]
• 1902 – Objectif à immersion in optics.^[6][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. The act of immersing something in a liquid, or the state of being immersed: l'immersion d'un câble, baptême par immersion.^[8][2]
2. The flooding of land by water.^[8][7]
3. (astronomy) The entry of a heavenly body into the shadow of another, the start of an éclipse.^[8][7]
4. (optics) Objectif à immersion: a microscope objective used through a drop of liquid with the lens's own refractive index.^[8]
5. Being plunged into a foreign setting, especially language immersion.^[1][3]

Related words

• immerger
• émersion
• immersif
• émerger
• Latin immersiō

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 571b
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert