législateur

Forms

législateur m (plural législateurs, feminine législatrice)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin lēgislātor (“one who proposes laws”), a legal term,^[2][3][4] made of lēgis, the genitive of lēx (“law”), and lātor (“one who proposes”),^[2][3] formed on the supine of ferō (“to carry”) in the phrase lēgem ferre (“to propose a law”).^[2][3][4] It is thus related to loi and légiférer.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Nicole Oresme first uses it in his translation of Aristotle's Politics (1372–1374) for one who makes laws, glossing it as legislateur ou ordeneur de policie.^[2][5] The Grand Robert and the GLLF date Oresme's first use to about 1361.^[6][7]

Semantic evolution

Its general sense has always been “one who makes laws”, for a whole people or civilization, as Lycurgus was for Sparta.^[3][7][5] In 1790, during the Revolution, it was applied to a member of the legislative body.^[2][3] By extension it was said of the founder of a religious law and of one who lays down the rules of an art or science, as Boileau was called the legislator of Parnassus.^[5][8] Since 1721 (Montesquieu) it has also meant the law-making power itself, le législateur, which is now the most usual sense;^[7][3][9] it also has a use in Kantian philosophy.^[3]

The related législation (about 1361) was rare before the 18th century, when it was taken up again under the influence of English legislation;^[3][4] législature (1741) was formed after the English word.^[4]

Timeline

• 1372–1374 – Oresme uses it in his translation of Aristotle's Politics.^[2]
• 16th century – Calvin uses it in the Institution.^[5]
• 1721 – Montesquieu uses it for the law-making authority.^[7]
• 1790 – It names a member of the legislative body of the Revolution.^[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (dated) A person who makes the laws or gives a people its laws: Solon, le législateur d'Athènes.^[9][5][10]
2. Le législateur: the power that makes the laws, the legislature: la volonté du législateur.^[9][8][10]
3. (literary) A person who sets the rules of an art or science.^[8][5]
4. (history) A member of the legislative body under the French Revolution.^[2][3]

Adjective

1. Making laws: un roi législateur.^[9][5][10]

Word family

• législatif
• législature

Related words

• législation
• légiférer
• loi
• Latin lēgislātor

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e f g Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)