insurgent

Forms

insurgent m (mostly plural insurgents)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is a noun use of the present participle, from French insurger (“to rise up”), of the verb s'insurger.^[1][2] The sense referring to the rebel American colonists is probably borrowed from English insurgent, recorded in English from 1765.^[1][3] The English noun is formed on the verb insurge, of the same origin as the French verb.^[1][3][2] The French verb is from Latin īnsurgō (“to rise up”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Dictionnaire de Trévoux of 1752 records it for the Hungarian troops raised in an emergency for the service of the state.^[1][3]

Semantic evolution

Through English, it was used from 1775 (Beaumarchais) for the American colonists who took up arms against Britain in the War of Independence, and after 1796 more generally for anyone in revolt against a government.^[1][3][4] In 1778 Mercier used it of a person who rebels against established rules, by extension or by a new borrowing from Latin.^[1][3]

In this general sense it gave way to insurgé, the past participle of the same verb, used as an adjective from 1790 and as a noun from 1792.^[3][1] Insurgent is now a historical term.^[3][2]

Timeline

• 1752 – The Dictionnaire de Trévoux records the Hungarian sense.^[1][3]
• 1765 – English insurgent is recorded.^[1][3]
• 1775 – Used of the rebel American colonists, in the Journal de Bruxelles and by Beaumarchais.^[1][3]
• 1778 – Mercier uses it of someone who rises against established rules.^[1][3]
• 1796 – Used of any rebel against a government.^[4][3]
• 1858 – Octave Feuillet writes of colons insurgents in the Antilles.^[1]

Meanings

Noun

1. (history, usually plural) The Hungarian troops raised exceptionally for the service of the state in the 18th century.^[1][2]
2. (history, usually plural) The American colonists who sided against Britain in the War of Independence.^[1][2][5]
3. (dated) A person in insurrection or rebellion, an insurgé; also used as an adjective.^[1]

Related words

• insurger
• insurgé
• insurrection
• English insurgent

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
2. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
5. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)