Etymologically
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opération

Etymology and origin of the French word opération

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
late 13th century, Hystore Job
Borrowed from
Latin operatio
Ultimate origin
Latin (opus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin operatio
French opération

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɔ.pe.ʁa.sjɔ̃/[1]

Forms

opération f (plural opérations)[1] The Académie wrote operation in 1694 and 1718, opération from 1740.[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin operātiō (“work; in Christian Latin, action, effect; divine working”), formed on the past participle of operor (“to work”) (see opérer), from opus (“work”).[2][3][4][5][1] The Christian sense “working of the Holy Spirit” is found in the early 5th century, and the alchemical sense in Medieval Latin before 1235.[2]

Compare Occitan operacio, Spanish operación and Italian operazione.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Hystore Job (late 13th century) has sainte operation, a sacred activity, “work”.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Gilles li Muisis (about 1350) uses it for the action of a power that produces an effect, and Oresme (1370–72) for the working of God, Menot (1508) has par l'operation du benoist Sainct Esperit, whence the ironic par l'opération du Saint-Esprit “by some mysterious means” (1874).[2][4][7] Surgery uses it from 1314 (Henri de Mondeville), mathematics from 1557, and chemistry from 1631.[2]

Military opérations date from Furetière (1701), and financial ones from Voltaire (1770); Necker speaks of opérations de banque (1784).[2][4] From 1952 it is followed by a noun to name a planned campaign.[2]

Timeline

  • Late 13th century – Sainte operation.[2]
  • 1314 – A surgical operation, Henri de Mondeville.[2]
  • c. 1350 – The action of a power, Gilles li Muisis.[2]
  • 1508 – L'operation du Sainct Esperit, Menot.[2]
  • 1557 – In mathematics.[2]
  • 1701 – Military operations.[2]
  • 1770 – Financial operations, Voltaire.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (medicine) An operation: subir une opération, salle d'opération.[7][1]
  2. An action or series of actions to obtain a result; the working of a device: les opérations de la digestion.[7][1]
  3. (mathematics) An operation.[2]
  4. (military) An operation, campaign: opérations militaires, théâtre d'opérations.[2][7]
  5. A financial or commercial transaction: opération de bourse.[4][7]
  6. A planned campaign, named by a following noun.[2]
  7. Par l'opération du Saint-Esprit: by some mysterious means.[7]

Word family

  • opérationnel

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 7, 367a
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Opération.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/op%C3%A9ration. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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