Etymologically
Log in

neural

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the French word neural

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1855 Owen, Principes d'ostéologie comparée More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek νεῦρον

Pronunciation

Forms

neural (feminine neurale, masculine plural neuraux, feminine plural neurales)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French neuro- + -al, from the combining form of Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “nerve, fibre”).[2][3][4][5] The TLFi first records it in 1855, in two anatomical phrases, in the French version of Owen's Principes d'ostéologie comparée, and compares the English word neural (1839–1847).[2] Etymonline dates the English adjective to 1830.[6] The Grand Robert gives 1878, and the GLLF 1888.[4][3][7] Picoche places it among the learned words of the family of nerf, formed on the Greek noun, and dates it to the 20th century.[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

In its first record (1855) it is a term of comparative anatomy, in arc neural, the arch of a vertebra around the spinal cord, and canal neural.[2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective spread in medicine and biology with the general sense “relating to the nervous system”.[2][9] In embryology it names the structures from which the nervous system develops: plaque neurale, crête neurale and tube neural.[9][5] In the 20th century it was also used of the brain mechanisms behind behaviour, as in Ruyer's mécanismes neuraux (1954).[2]

Timeline

  • 1855 – Arc neural and canal neural appear in Owen's Principes d'ostéologie comparée.[2]
  • 1888 – Recorded by Larousse.[3][7]
  • 1954 – Ruyer writes of mécanismes neuraux.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (biology, medicine) Relating to the nervous system.[9][10][2]
  2. (embryology) Of the structures from which the nervous system forms: tube neural, plaque neurale, crête neurale.[9][5]
  3. (anatomy) Arc neural: the arch of a vertebra that surrounds the spinal cord.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
  6. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
  9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Neural.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/neural. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·