inorganique

Forms

inorganique (plural inorganiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French in- + organique.^[2][1][3][4] The adjective is from Latin organicus, from Ancient Greek ὀργανικός (organikós), from ὄργανον (órganon, “instrument, organ”).^[5][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1579, in Laurent Joubert's Traité du ris (“treatise on laughter”), in the phrase inorganique antandement, an isolated record.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

After the isolated record of 1579 the word was taken up again in 1762 by Charles Bonnet in his Considérations sur les corps organisés, for what has no organs and is not living.^[2][6][3] In the 19th century it was used of the mineral world as opposed to living matter, and in chemistry of compounds without carbon, apart from carbonates and cyanides.^[4][2][7] In medicine, in the 20th century, it came to describe a disorder without any lesion of the organs.^[8][2] Littré also records a grammatical use, for a letter or sign that does not belong to the word's original form.^[4]

Timeline

• 1579 – Joubert uses it, an isolated record.^[2][9]
• 1762 – Charles Bonnet takes it up again.^[2][6]
• 1826 – The synonym anorganique is formed.^[6]
• 20th century – The medical sense “without lesion of the organs” appears.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Not coming from or forming part of living matter; mineral: le monde inorganique.^[7][2][8]
2. (chemistry) inorganic: of compounds containing carbon only as a carbonate or cyanide: chimie inorganique.^[7][2]
3. (medicine) Of a disorder: involving no lesion of an organ, functional.^[7][8][2]

Related words

• organique
• anorganique
• organe
• organisme
• inorganisé

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF