paralyser

Forms

paralyser^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French paralysie + -iser.^[2][1][3][4] The Grand Robert describes it as formed on the noun after the earlier participle paralysé.^[5] The noun is from Latin paralysis (“paralysis of one side of the body”), from Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis, “loosening, slackening, paralysis”).^[2][6][4] The Greek noun comes from παραλύω (paralúō, “to loosen at the side”), from παρά (pará, “beside”) and λύω (lúō, “to loosen”).^[4]

Littré compares Picard palatiner (“to have trembling hands”) and Occitan paraliticar.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as the past participle, in Ambroise Paré (1575), meaning “affected by paralysis”: he advises applying bricks around the paralysed part.^[2][7][6]

Semantic evolution

The active verb “to strike with paralysis” is first recorded in the Encyclopédie in 1765.^[2][5][4] From this medical sense came the figurative “to make powerless, to reduce to inaction”, first found in 1789 in the past participle,^[2][4][3] and in the 19th century the sense “to immobilize physically”, recorded by the GLLF from Alphonse Daudet (1868).^[8]

Zoology later formed paralyseur (1892), said of insects that paralyse their prey with venom, and paralysation (1939), the act of doing so.^[2][4]

Timeline

• 1575 – The past participle paralysé is used by Ambroise Paré.^[2][4]
• 1765 – The infinitive, “to strike with paralysis”, appears in the Encyclopédie.^[2][5]
• 1789 – Figurative “reduced to powerlessness”, in the past participle.^[2][4]
• 1868 – Daudet uses it for “to immobilize”.^[8]
• 1892 – The zoological adjective paralyseur is recorded.^[2]
• 1939 – Paralysation appears in Jean Rostand.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To paralyse, to strike with paralysie: un accident lui a paralysé les jambes, “an accident paralysed his legs”.^[3][2][8]
2. By extension, to immobilize or numb: le froid paralysait ses doigts, “the cold numbed her fingers”.^[3][8]
3. (figurative) To make someone unable to act or speak, to petrify: la peur la paralysait, “fear froze her”.^[3][7]
4. (figurative) To bring an activity to a standstill: la grève paralyse le réseau ferroviaire, “the strike is paralysing the rail network”.^[3][8]

Word family

• paralysant
• paralyseur
• paralysation

Related words

• paralysie
• paralytique
• Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis)

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