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moteur

Etymology and origin of the French word moteur

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1377, Oresme
Borrowed from
Latin motor
Ultimate origin
Latin (moveō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin motor
English motor
French moteur

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /mɔ.tœʁ/[1]
  • IPA: /mo.tœʁ/[1]

Forms

moteur m (plural moteurs)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin mōtor (“one who moves”), from the supine of moveō (“to move”) (see mouvoir).[2][3][4][5] Medieval Latin used mōtor prīmus in philosophy for the one who gives a thing its motion (12th century), and the feminine mōtrīx (about 1250).[2][3] The French word drove out Middle French mouveur (about 1380–1572) and Old French mouveresse (“instigator”).[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Oresme (1377) uses it for what causes motion, as in premier moteur, the prime mover, and for a person who makes others act, principal moteur.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Du Bellay (1558) has it as an adjective, “that gives motion”; anatomy took up muscle moteur and the motor nerves in 1771.[2][3] A machine that uses a source of energy to produce motion is called a moteur in 1744, but the modern sense came with the gas engine (moteur à gaz, 1826) and the internal combustion engine (moteur à explosion, 1884).[2][3][6]

In 1784 a newspaper used it, after English, for the proposer of a motion.[7] In African French it also means a moped, in Lebanese French a generator, and in computing moteur de recherche is a search engine (about 1990).[3] The film director's call silence, moteur, action ! starts the camera.[1]

Timeline

  • 1377 – Premier moteur, in Oresme.[2]
  • 1558 – Adjective, in Du Bellay.[2]
  • 1744 – A machine producing motion.[2][6]
  • 1771 – Muscle moteur.[2]
  • 1826 – Moteur à gaz.[2]
  • 1884 – Moteur à explosion.[3]
  • c. 1990 – Moteur de recherche.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An engine, a motor: moteur à explosion, moteur électrique.[8][1]
  2. (figurative) A driving force; a person who leads or instigates: elle est le moteur de l'entreprise.[9][8]
  3. (philosophy, dated) The first cause of motion: le premier moteur.[8][2]
  4. (computing) Moteur de recherche: a search engine.[1][3]

Adjective

  1. (feminine motrice) Producing motion: force motrice, roue motrice, nerfs moteurs, motor nerves.[8][10]

Word family

  • motoriser
  • locomoteur
  • vasomoteur
  • motrice
  • motricité
  • mouvoir
  • motif
  • motion
  • Latin mōtor

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/3, 162a
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Moteur.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/moteur. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·