paléontologie

Forms

paléontologie f (usually uncountable, plural paléontologies)^[1] First written palaeonthologie (1830); the spelling paléontologie is found from 1832.^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from French paléo- (“old”) + onto- (“being”) + -logie (“science, study”).^[2][3] The Grand Robert and the GLLF analyse it as ⟨paléo-⟩ and ontologie (“science of being”).^[4][5] The Greek elements are Ancient Greek παλαιός (palaiós, “old, ancient”), ὄντα (ónta, “beings”) and λόγος (lógos, “word, account”).^[6][7] Rey regards the word as a coinage of Blainville, who made it known in 1834.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1830, spelled palaeonthologie, in the first volume of the Journal de géologie, for the science of the fossil remains of former life.^[2][8]

Semantic evolution

The word named the study of the animals and plants that lived in past geological ages, known from their fossils, a science that Rey describes as founded by Cuvier and essential in the 19th century.^[8][5] Its spelling settled as paléontologie in the early 1830s, and the derivatives paléontologique (1831), paléontologiste (1832) and paléontologue (1842) followed.^[2][8] The Académie has recorded it since 1878.^[2]

English paleontology, from 1833, is probably taken from the French word, and Lyell used it soon after its French coinage.^[9][8] The word is also used figuratively for the reconstruction of the past, as in Saint-Saëns's paléontologie musicale (1901).^[8]

Timeline

• 1830 – Palaeonthologie appears in the Journal de géologie.^[2][8]
• 1831 – The adjective paléontologique is recorded.^[8]
• 1832 – A. Boué uses the spelling paléontologie and the noun paléontologiste.^[2][8]
• 1833 – English paleontology is recorded.^[9]
• 1834 – Blainville spreads the term, and Boiste records it.^[8][5]
• 1842 – Paléontologue appears.^[8]
• 1878 – The Académie française includes the word in its dictionary.^[2]
• 1901 – Saint-Saëns writes of paléontologie musicale.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. Paleontology, the science of the living things of past geological ages, based on the study of fossils: paléontologie animale, humaine, végétale.^[2][3][5]
2. (figurative) A reconstruction of the past.^[8]

Word family

• paléontologique
• paléontologiste
• paléontologue

Related words

• paléographie
• ontologie
• English paleontology

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 Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert 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. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com