marsupial

Forms

marsupial m (plural marsupiaux)^[1]

Etymology

It was formed in 1736 as a learned derivative, from Latin marsūpium (“purse, pouch”), with the suffix -al.^[2][3][4][5] The Latin word comes from Ancient Greek μαρσίππιον (marsíppion), a diminutive of μάρσιππος (mársippos, “bag, pouch”).^[1][6] Rey calls the Greek word a foreign one of unknown origin, perhaps from Asia Minor.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1736 the Mémoires de l'Académie des sciences used it in zoology of an organ shaped like a purse.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first described pouch-shaped organs;^[2] Cuvier spoke of os marsupiaux in 1805, the bones that support the pouch.^[2] As a plural noun, les marsupiaux named the pouched mammals from 1806.^[2][4][7] The surgical verb marsupialiser (1924) was probably modelled on English to marsupialize, and the noun marsupialisation (1900) may be a calque of English marsupialization.^[4]

Timeline

• 1736 – First recorded in zoology, “bearing a purse-shaped organ”.^[2][3]
• 1805 – Cuvier writes of os marsupiaux.^[2]
• 1806 – Duméril uses les marsupiaux as a noun.^[2][4]
• 1900 – The derivative marsupialisation is recorded.^[4]
• 1924 – Marsupialiser appears in surgery.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (zoology) Shaped like a pouch: poche marsupiale, the ventral pouch in which the young of pouched mammals finish their development.^[2][7]
2. Relating to that pouch: os marsupiaux, the bones supporting it.^[2][6]

Noun

1. A marsupial, a mammal whose young finish developing in the mother's ventral pouch, such as the kangourou, the koala or the opossum; chiefly in the plural les marsupiaux.^[7][2]

Word family

• marsupialiser
• marsupialisation

Related words

• Latin marsūpium

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert