ineffectif

Forms

ineffectif (feminine ineffective)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is formed from French in- + effectif, with the negative prefix.^[3][1][4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is from Armand-Jean Le Bouthillier de Rancé at the end of the 17th century, quoted by the Trévoux dictionary in 1721;^[3] the GLLF dates Rancé's use to 1697 and gives the Encyclopédie (1765) as the next record.^[4] It already meant “not followed by any effect”.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept the single sense it was formed with: something that produces no effect or is never carried into action, the opposite of effectif.^[3][2] The TLFi labels it rare; its 19th- and 20th-century examples come from Gobineau, Valéry and a translation of Freud.^[3]

Timeline

• 1697 – Rancé uses the word.^[4][1]
• 1721 – The Trévoux dictionary quotes Rancé's use.^[3]
• 1765 – It appears in the Encyclopédie.^[4]
• 1873 – Littré defines it as “not followed by effect”.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (rare) Producing no effect, not carried into action; ineffective: une décision ineffective “a decision that was never applied”.^[3][4][2]

Related words

• effectif

References

1. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
2. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
3. ^ a b c d e f g 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 c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse