plant

Pronunciation

• IPA: /plɑ̃/^[1]

Forms

plant m (plural plants)^[1]

Etymology

It is a back-formation from planter,^{[2][3][4][1][5]} which is inherited from Latin plantō (“to plant”).^[4][6] It is a doublet of plan “plan, map”, which Bloch and Wartburg explain as the same word, confused in writing with “plan” “flat surface”.^[1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Eustache Deschamps (late 14th century; the TLFi dates it 1407) uses it for a young plant to be set out, or just planted;^[2] the GLLF reads it there as “the act of planting”.^[7][3]

Semantic evolution

In 1495 it meant a plantation of young trees or shrubs.^[2][4] In the 16th century it also meant “the act of planting” (La Boétie) and “position” (Amyot's statue that stays en son plant).^[8][3] The sense “plants of one kind set in a piece of ground, and the ground itself” is recorded by Furetière in 1690.^[7][3]

Plant also names a vine stock or grape variety (plant américain).^[9][10] The phrase laisser en plan “to leave in the lurch” was first written en plant, after planter là quelqu'un.^[4][8]

Timeline

• Late 14th century – In Eustache Deschamps.^[2][7]
• 1495 – “Plantation of young trees”.^[2]
• 1551 – A young plant to be set out.^[7][3]
• 1690 – A plot planted with one kind, in Furetière.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. A young plant or seedling to be planted out, or just planted: plants de tomates.^[9][10]
2. A set of plants of one kind grown together; the plot planted with them: un plant d'asperges.^[9][7]
3. A vine stock; a grape variety: plant américain.^[9][10]

Related words

• planter
• plante
• plan
• planton

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 22b
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
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. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)