phase

Forms

phase f (plural phases)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek φάσις (phásis, “appearance of a rising star, phase of the moon”), from φαίνω (phaínō, “to shine, to appear”).^[2][3][4][5] In Greek the noun was also a legal term, “accusation, denunciation”.^[3][6]

A form phaze in a mid-15th-century glossary is glossed “phase of the moon, hence month”, but the TLFi and the DHLF think it may be its homonym meaning “Passover”, from Latin Phase.^[2][3] The DHLF dates the borrowing to Scève in 1544, in the figurative sense, and treats the astronomical sense as a second borrowing; the TLFi doubts the 1544 record, as the word is missing from the index of Scève's Délie.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first sure record is in astronomy, in 1661: each of the successive appearances of the Moon or a planet as the Sun lights it.^[2][4][7]

Semantic evolution

The figurative sense “each of the successive states of a thing that develops”, found once in 1544, became current only from Madame de Staël (1810).^[4][3][6] From the second half of the 18th century the word passed into the sciences: in biology for each stage in the development of an egg (1762) and in medicine for a stage of a disease (1832).^[2][3]

In physics it names the angular constant of a periodic motion (1850 according to the DHLF, 1892 in the TLFi); en phase (1905) is said of two phenomena that vary in step, and became fashionable from 1980 for two people who are in agreement, while en opposition de phase expresses the contrary.^[3][2] It entered electricity (1903), giving triphasé (1892) and monophasé (1894), and chemistry (1903–1904: phase liquide, phase solide, phase gazeuse).^[2][3] The French translation of Freud's Introduction to Psychoanalysis (1922) used it for phase orale and phase génitale, later replaced by stade.^[3][2] In English the physical sense is recorded from 1861 and the chemical one from 1875.^[2]

Timeline

• 1544 – A figurative use attributed to Scève, doubted by the TLFi.^[4][3][2]
• 1661 – First sure record, in astronomy.^[2][4][7]
• 1762 – Bonnet uses it for a stage in the development of an egg.^[2][3]
• 1810 – Madame de Staël uses the figurative sense.^[4][6]
• 1832 – Raymond records the medical sense.^[2][3]
• 1892 – The physical sense, and the derivative triphasé.^[2][3]
• 1903 – Différence de phase in electricity.^[2]
• 1903–1904 – Chemistry adopts phase liquide, phase gazeuse, phase solide.^[2]
• 1905 – En phase is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1922 – Psychoanalytic use in a translation of Freud.^[2][3]
• 1980 – En phase is said of people in agreement.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (astronomy) Each of the successive aspects the Moon or a planet shows to an observer on Earth, depending on how the Sun lights it.^[7][2][5]
2. (physics) The angular constant that characterizes a periodic motion;^[7][2] en phase, en opposition de phase of motions in or out of step.^[7][2]
3. Être en phase (avec quelqu'un): to be in harmony or agreement with someone.^[7][3]
4. (electrical engineering) In a polyphase system, a winding or conductor joining a terminal to the neutral point.^[7]
5. (chemistry) Each of the homogeneous but physically distinct parts of a system: phase liquide, phase gazeuse.^[7][2]
6. Each of the successive stages of something that develops: la première phase des travaux.^[7][2][5]

Word family

• triphasé
• monophasé
• polyphasé
• déphasé
• déphaser
• diphasique

Related words

• phénomène
• Ancient Greek φάσις (phásis)

Usage notes

In African French the phrase faire une phase or faire sa phase means “to show off, to seek attention”.^[3] The Old French phase (also fase) “the Passover lamb, Passover” has a separate source.^[8][2]

References

1. ^ a b 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 s t u v w x 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 g h i j k l m n o p q r Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c 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 h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)