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pelvien

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Etymology and origin of the French word pelvien

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1805 Cuvier More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
Latin pelvis
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin pēlvis
English pelvis
French pelvis
French pelvien
From the same root
English pelvic ← pēlvis

Pronunciation

  • /pɛl.vjɛ̃/[1]

Forms

pelvien (feminine pelvienne, masculine plural pelviens, feminine plural pelviennes)[1]

Etymology

It is from French pelvis + -ien.[2][3][1][4] Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF call it a learned formation on Latin pelvis (“metal basin”), which was taken as an anatomical term by comparison, like French bassin, and probably in imitation of that use.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1805 in Cuvier's comparative anatomy, of the bones of the pelvis and of the sacral vertebrae, which he also calls pelvic.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Bloch and Wartburg, the Grand Robert and the GLLF date the word only from 1812 (Mozin).[5][8][6] It has stayed an anatomical term for what belongs to the pelvis, and more precisely to the part of the pelvis below its upper opening.[7][2] The phrase membres pelviens “hind limbs” is recorded in Littré (1868) and ceinture pelvienne “pelvic girdle” in the Larousse of 1932.[6][9]

In zoology the feminine plural pelviennes is used as a noun, short for nageoires pelviennes, the paired fins of fishes behind the pectorals (1963).[7][2][6]

Timeline

  • 1805 – Cuvier uses os pelvien.[2]
  • 1812 – Mozin records the word.[6][5]
  • 1868 – Littré records membres pelviens.[6]
  • 1932 – Ceinture pelvienne appears in the Larousse.[6]
  • 1963 – Pelviennes “pelvic fins” is recorded as a noun.[2][7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (anatomy) pelvic, of or relating to the pelvis: une douleur pelvienne.[2][3][9]
  2. Ceinture pelvienne: the pelvic girdle, the bones that attach the lower limbs to the trunk.[3][6]
  3. Membres pelviens: the hind limbs of vertebrates.[6][9]
  4. (zoology) Nageoires pelviennes: the paired ventral fins of fishes.[3]

Noun

  1. (zoology) Pelviennes (feminine plural): pelvic fins.[2][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 172b
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Pelvien.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/pelvien. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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