mysticisme

Forms

mysticisme m (plural mysticismes)^[2][3]

Etymology

It is a learned formation from French mystique + -isme.^[3][4][2] The adjective, recorded about 1376, was borrowed from Latin mysticus (“relating to the mysteries”), which the Church kept, from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Benjamin Constant uses it in his Journal intime in May 1804.^[3][6][7]

Semantic evolution

The new word displaced the older learned noun mysticité (1718) and had taken all its religious and secular senses, in philosophy, art and ideology, before 1850.^[7] Littré still marked it as a neologism.^[8] The Académie recorded in 1842 both the sense of devotion of a mystical kind, often pejorative for blind faith, and that of a doctrine giving feeling and intuition primacy over reasoning.^[6]

English mysticism is older (1736), formed from mystic with -ism.^[9]

Timeline

• 1804 – Benjamin Constant uses mysticisme.^[3]
• 1842 – The Académie records the senses “mystical devotion” and “primacy of intuition”.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. The beliefs and practices that seek an intimate, direct union of the soul with God or the divine principle: mysticisme chrétien.^[2][3][10]
2. Fervent devotion of a mystical, intuitive kind; pejoratively, blind faith.^[2][6]
3. A doctrine giving excessive weight to feeling and intuition over reason.^[2][6][3]

Related words

• mystique
• mystère
• Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós)

References

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