Etymologically
Log in

moteur

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:21. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

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