Etymologically
Log in

lactose

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the French word lactose

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1843 More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Latin lac
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French lactose
English lactose

Pronunciation

Forms

lactose m (usually uncountable, plural lactoses)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French lact- + -ose, the suffix used for sugars.[2][3][4][5] The first element is Latin lac (“milk”).[1][6] Wiktionary attributes the coinage to Marcelin Berthelot,[1] while Etymonline credits Jean-Baptiste Dumas in 1843.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Petit Robert dates it from 1843, when it could also be feminine;[5] the TLFi's first record is in the additions to the Littré–Robin medical dictionary in 1855.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its chemical sense, the sugar of milk.[2][5] Littré gives it as feminine and as a synonym of lactine.[7] English lactose is recorded from 1843 and comes from the French word.[6]

Timeline

  • 1843 – First recorded.[5][6]
  • 1855 – The Littré–Robin dictionary records it.[2][3]
  • 1858 – Nysten's dictionary has it.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (chemistry) The sugar found in the milk of mammals, which hydrolyses into glucose and galactose.[2][5][8][9]

Word family

  • lactosurie

Usage notes

The word is masculine: le lactose.[8] It was also feminine in the 19th century.[5][7]

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Lactose.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/lactose. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·