méningite

Forms

méningite f (plural méningites)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French méninge + -ite, a learned formation with the medical suffix for an inflammation.^[2][1][3][4] It was preceded by the adjective méningité (1793) and by the New Latin form meningitis, used in French from 1803.^[5][4][6]

That noun was borrowed in the 14th century from the medical Late Latin meninga, which is from Ancient Greek μῆνιγξ (mêninx, “skin, membrane”), a technical word of obscure origin.^[6][5] Rey mentions the hypothesis that the Greek word is derived from an Indo-European root meaning “flesh”, also seen in membre.^[6] English meningitis was coined in the same way in medical Latin, and is recorded from 1825.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The noun is dated 1829 by Bloch and Wartburg, the DHLF and the Robert, as the name of an inflammation of the meninges.^[5][6][4] The TLFi's first quotation, méningite tuberculeuse “tuberculous meningitis”, dates from 1835.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its medical sense: Littré already distinguished the inflammation of the dura mater from forms affecting the brain or the spinal cord, and méningite cérébro-spinale covers both.^[3] The Académie recorded it in 1836.^[8]

From 1922 it also appears in familiar phrases saying that someone avoids any intellectual effort, as in Colette's ne pas risquer la méningite, a usage that gave the jocular flemmingite, formed on flemme “laziness”.^[2][6] The derivative méningitique is recorded from 1867.^[6][2]

Timeline

• 1793 – The adjective méningité is recorded.^[5][4]
• 1803 – The Latin form meningitis is used in French.^[5]
• 1825 – English meningitis is first recorded.^[7]
• 1829 – Méningite itself appears.^[5][4][6]
• 1835 – Méningite tuberculeuse is recorded.^[2]
• 1836 – The Académie records the word.^[8]
• 1867 – The derivative méningitique appears.^[6][2]
• 1922 – Colette uses ne pas risquer la méningite of someone who makes no mental effort.^[2][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (medicine) meningitis, an acute or chronic inflammation of the meninges, usually caused by an infection: méningite tuberculeuse, méningite virale.^[9][10][11]
2. (familiar) Ne pas attraper une méningite: to make no intellectual effort at all.^[9][8]

Word family

• méningitique

Related words

• méninge
• flemmingite
• Ancient Greek μῆνιγξ (mêninx)
• English meningitis

References

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