nautique

Forms

nautique (plural nautiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin nauticus (“of sailors, nautical”), first recorded at the beginning of the 16th century.^[2][3][4] The Latin adjective was borrowed from Ancient Greek ναυτικός (nautikós, “of sailors or ships”),^[2][3] from ναύτης (naútēs, “sailor”), from ναῦς (naûs, “ship”).^[5][6][3] Rey lists related words for “ship” in other Indo-European languages, among them nāvis (the source of nef), Old Irish nau and Old Norse nór.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Octavien de Saint-Gelais's translation of the Aeneid (before 1502), in clameur nautique, meaning “of sailors”.^[2][7][3]

Semantic evolution

The sense “of sailors” disappeared in the 17th century.^[3] The modern sense “belonging to or concerning navigation” is recorded in 1556 (art nautique, R. Le Blanc).^[2][3] The sense “concerning water sports” appeared in 1779 (joutes nautiques) and became common in the 19th century with boating, and above all in the 20th century with pleasure sailing.^[3][2] The noun nautisme “water sports, pleasure sailing” was formed from it in 1966 by a change of suffix.^[3][2]

Timeline

• c. 1500 – Clameur nautique in Saint-Gelais's Aeneid.^[2][4]
• 1556 – Art nautique: the sense “concerning navigation”.^[2][3]
• 17th century – The sense “of sailors” goes out of use.^[3]
• 1779 – Joutes nautiques: the sense “concerning water sports”.^[2][3]
• 1966 – The derivative nautisme is recorded.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to navigation and seamanship: une carte nautique, l'art nautique.^[8][2]
2. Relating to water sports and pleasure boating: sports nautiques, ski nautique, salon nautique.^[8][2]

Noun

1. Mille nautique, or simply nautique: a nautical mile.^[8][1]

Word family

• nautisme

Related words

• naval
• nef
• Latin nauticus

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 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 k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert