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perfectionniste

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Etymology and origin of the French word perfectionniste

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1845 Bescherelle More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
French perfection,-iste

Pronunciation

  • /pɛʁ.fɛk.sjɔ.nist/[1]

Forms

perfectionniste m or f by sense (plural perfectionnistes)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French perfection + -iste.[2][3][4][1][5] The TLFi thinks the word was probably at first taken from the English word perfectionist, found from 1694 in the sense of someone who believes in moral perfection, and in American English from 1834 for the members of a sect.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bescherelle's dictionary records it in 1845 (1846 in the TLFi) for a person who dreams of absolute perfection and limitless progress, noting that it is always taken in a bad sense.[2][6][7]

Semantic evolution

In 1868–1869 it was used, as in Littré, for the members of an American Christian sect founded by John Noyes, which held property and wives in common.[8][2][7]

The ordinary modern sense, a person who seeks perfection in what they do and polishes their work too much, is dated by the TLFi to 1966; the word is often pejorative, and in psychology it describes an obsessive care for perfection.[2][7] The noun perfectionnisme (1955) corresponds to it.[7]

Timeline

  • 1845 – Bescherelle records the word.[6][7][3]
  • 1868 – Used for the members of an American Christian sect.[7]
  • 1869 – Littré records that sense.[2]
  • 1955 – The noun perfectionnisme appears.[7]
  • 1966 – First record of the sense “someone who overworks the details of a task”.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A perfectionist, someone who seeks perfection in everything they do, often to excess: Mon frère est un perfectionniste.[9][10][4]
  2. (psychology) A person driven by an obsessive concern for perfection.[2]
  3. (dated) Someone who believes in absolute perfection and limitless progress.[2][9]
  4. (history) A member of a Christian sect of the United States founded by John Noyes.[8][9]

Adjective

  1. Perfectionist, showing perfectionnisme: Elle est trop perfectionniste pour rendre son dossier à temps.[11][9][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c 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, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
  5. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
  6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  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)
  11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Perfectionniste.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/perfectionniste. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·